DEGRADATION STUDY AND LIFE EXPECTANCY OF CANAL TOP SOLAR PV PLANT:
CAN CANAL TOP SOLAR PLANT BE A GAME CHANGER IN SOLAR INDUSTRY?

Degradation effect on solar PV modules installed and under operation at world's first pilot demonstration project of canal top near Sanand, Gujarat were studied by GERMI and tested as per IEC 61215 at NABL accredited laboratory. In order to reconfirm results, additional 49 no. of modules were tested. Results of the tests showed very negligible degradation even after 34 months of operation in field. This is in disagreement to established annual degradation rates prevailing in solar industry. Also, annual Performance ratio (PR) of the plant reaffirmed the laboratory results. Based on global experiences, authors attribute slow degradation rates to cooling effect of modules as a result of evaporation of water from canal. It is concluded that canal top solar PV plant can offer a long service life of 40 years unlike global market standard service life of 25 years.