Webinars
DuraMAT hosts monthly webinars to share recent work by DuraMAT collaborators and give the PV research community a chance to ask questions and suggest future research directions.
Upcoming Webinars
December 16, 2024, 1 p.m. MT — "Sequential Stress Testing Identifies Processing Defects in Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules That Limit Durability" presented by Dana Kern, NREL
Previous Webinars
November 11, 2024, 1 p.m. MT — "Solar PV and Extreme Weather: Performance and Resilience Lessons" presented by Dirk Jordan, NREL
October 14, 2024, 1 p.m. MT — "Simulating Wind-Driven Loading on PV Systems" presented by Ethan Young, NREL
August 12, 2024 — "Investigating Bifacial Module Degradation: Insights from the DuraMAT Field Study" presented by Silvana Ovaitt, NREL
July 8, 2024 — “Fundamentals of Glass Science and Technology” presented by John C. Mauro, The Pennsylvania State University; and Michael Pilliod, Central Tension
May 13, 2024 — "Photovoltaic Cable Connectors: A Comparative Assessment of the Present State of the Industry" presented by David Miller, NREL
April 8, 2024 — "Predictive Mechanics and Photochemical Degradation Kinetics Modeling for Polymeric Encapsulants," presented by Alan Liu, Stanford University
February 12, 2024 — "Copper Screen Printed Pastes Fired in Belt Furnace" presented by Thad Druffel, Bert Thin Films; Paul Stradins, NREL; and Ajeet Rohatgi, Georgia Institute of Technology.
January 8, 2024 — "PVDeg: Development of a Streamlined Tool for PV Degradation Evaluation" presented by Mike Kempe, Silvana Ovaitt, and Martin Springer, NREL
December 18, 2023 — "Hail Impact Damage on PV Modules" presented by James Hartley, Sandia National Labs.
November 13, 2023 — "Material Selection and Processing Defects in Bifacial Photovoltaic Module Packaging that Limit Durability" presented by Soňa Uličná, NREL
September 11, 2023 — "Laser Welded Edge Seals for Polymer-Free Glass/Glass Modules" presented by David Young, Tim Silverman, and Nick Bosco, NREL
August 14, 2023 — "Reliable & Durable Communication: Consistently Connecting DuraMAT Messages with Target Audiences" presented by the DuraMAT Communications Working Group
July 17, 2023 — "Battery Reliability: From Physics of Degradation to Lifetime Prediction" presented by Kandler Smith, NREL
May 8, 2023 — "Follow-Up From PVRW: Cost Modelling Capabilities To Evaluate Trends in PV" presented by Jarett Zuboy, Brittany Smith, and Michael Woodhouse, NREL
April 10, 2023 — "PV in the Circular Economy: Energy Balance of Sustainable Designs" presented by Silvana Ovaitt and Heather Mirletz, NREL
Feb. 13, 2023 — "WhatsCracking, the PV Module Cell Fracture Prediction App" presented by Nick Bosco, NREL
Jan. 9, 2023 — " Evaluation of Bifacial Modules With Combined-Accelerated Stress Testing" presented by Peter Hacke, NREL
Nov. 14, 2022 — " Assessing Factors Underpinning PV Degradation Through Data Analysis" presented by Anubhav Jain, Baojie Li, and Xin Chen , Lawrence Berkeley Lab
October 2022 — " Project Updates and Progress at Sandia’s Field Test Site" presented by Elizabeth Palmiotti and Bruce King, Sandia
September 2022 — "A Retrospective of DuraMAT's First 5 Years" presented by Michael Owen-Bellini, NREL
July 2022 — "Performance and Soiling Losses From the PV Fleet Performance Data Initiative" presented by Chris Deline and Matt Muller, NREL
May 2022 — " Reliability Implications of Recent PV Module Technology Trends" presented by Jarett Zuboy and Martin Springer, NREL; Elizabeth Palmiotti, Sandia; Teresa Barnes, Joe Karas, Brittany Smith, and Michael Woodhouse, NREL
April 2022 — " Data Analytics for Solar PV: Case Studies in EL Imaging and Re-Analysis of Field Data" presented by Xin Chen and Baojie Li, Lawrence Berkeley Lab
February 2022 — " Multi-Scale Multi-Physics Modelling of Photovoltaic Systems: A Co-Development Approach" presented by Philippe Nivelle, Universiteit Hasselt
January 2022 — Updates From "Advanced Material Development To Support Low-LCOE 25-Year Flexible Photovoltaic Modules" and " A Comparison of Emerging Non-Fluoropolymer-Based Co-Extruded PV Backsheets to Industry-Benchmark Technologies" presented by Mike Kempe, NREL; Hoi Ng, Sunpower; and David Miller, NREL
November 2021 — "Combined-Accelerated Stress Testing: PV Modules and BOS Components" presented by David Miller and Peter Hacke, NREL
October 2021 — "Effect of Moisture and Temperature on the Deflection of Encapsulated Cells" presented by David Fenning, University of California San Diego
September 2021 — "Glass/Glass Focus Group: Modules Technology and Durability Roadmap" presented by Dana Kern-Sulas, NREL and Archana Sinha, SLAC
August 2021 — "Updates to the Instant Online PV LCOE Calculator Tool" presented by Brittany Smith, NREL
July 2021 — "Cell Cracking Working Group Update" presented by Martin Springer, NREL, Jenn Braid, Sandia and Oliver Zhao, Stanford
May 2021 — "Understanding Polymer Materials Properties for PV Module Reliability" presented by Michael Owen-Bellini, NREL and Soňa Uličná, SLAC
April 2021 — "The Impacts of Module Reliability and Lifetime on PV in the Circular Economy" presented by Teresa Barnes, Silvana Ayala, and Heather Mirletz, NREL
March 2021 — "Characterization of Silicon Photovoltaic Module Durability Guided by Luminescence and Thermal Imaging" presented by Dana Kern, NREL
January 2021 — "Degradation Analysis with Real-World PV Power Plant Data" presented by Todd Karin, LBL, and Cliff Hansen, Sandia
December 2020 — "Boron-Oxygen and Ultraviolet Light Induced Degradation (BO LID and UV LID) and Light and Elevated Temperature Induced Degradation (LeTID) Impacts to Photovoltaic Module Performance and System Economics" presented by Michael Woodhouse, Ingrid Repins, David Miller, and Peter Hacke, NREL
November 2020 — "Detailed Investigations into PV Cell Cracks—Why Some Cracks Can Lead to Power Loss" presented by Josh Stein, Sandia, and Cara Libby, EPRI
October 2020 — "A Fluid Solver for Studying Torsional Galloping in Solar-Tracking PV Panel Arrays" presented by Ethan Young, NREL
September 2020 — "Adding Climate Effects to the Online LCOE Calculator in DataHub" presented by Brittany Smith, NREL
August 2020 — "A Researcher's Guide to the DuraMAT Data Hub: How To Make It Work for Your Project and Research" presented by Robert White, NREL
July 2020 — "Multi-Scale Modeling of Photovoltaic Module Electrically Conductive Adhesive Interconnects for Reliability Testing" presented by Nick Bosco, NREL
June 2020 — "A Pathway To Reduce Operations and Maintenance Expenses by Mitigating Cracked Solar Cells and Hot Spot Formation" presented by Sang Han, Osazda and University of New Mexico; Mike Woodhouse, NREL
May 2020 — "An Overview of Backsheet Materials for Photovoltaic Modules" presented by Michael Owen-Bellini, NREL
April 2020 — "Measuring and Understanding Moisture Ingress for Photovoltaics" presented by Matt Reese, NREL
March 2020 — "On the Costs and Benefits of Combined Accelerated Stress Testing (C-AST) for PV Project Economics" presented by Mike Woodhouse & Peter Hacke, NREL; Tristan Erion-Lorico, PVEL
February 2020 — "Data Driven Approaches for Analyzing PV System Performance and Reliability" presented by Bennet Meyers, Standford University
January 2020 — "How Might Machine Learning Help To Advance Solar PV Research?" presented by Anubhav Jain, Lawrence Berkeley Lab
December 2019 — "Demonstrating New Concepts for Reliable Low-Cost Module Encapsulation and Moisture Barrier Technologies" presented by Reinhold Dauskardt, Stanford
November 2019 — "Low-Cost, Crack-Tolerant Metallization: A Materials Engineering Solution to Module Reliability" presented by Sang Han, Osazda and University of New Mexico
October 2019 — "Multi-Scale, Multi-Physics Modeling Capabilities towards Predicting PV Reliability" presented by James Hartley, Sandia
September 2019 — "Testing at Scale: Methods and Challenges Associated with Curated, Grid-Tied PV System Research" presented by Bruce King, Sandia
August 2019 — "Materials Forensics for Understanding PV Module Material Durability" presented by Laura Schelhas, SLAC
July 2019 — "Overview of Encapsulant Materials and Other Sealing Polymers in Photovoltaic Modules" presented by Ashley Maes, Sandia
May 2019 — "Development of Combined and Sequential Accelerated Stress Testing for Derisking Photovoltaic Modules" presented by Peter Hacke, NREL
April 2019 — "An Introduction to the DuraMAT DataHub" presented by Robert White, NREL
February 2019 — "The Role of Reliability and Durability in Photovoltaic System Economics" presented by Michael Woodhouse, NREL
January 2019 — "Si PV: Present and Future Challenges" presented by Paul Stradins and David Young, NREL
