Analysis of long-term monitoring data of PV module with SiO_x-based anti-reflective patterned protective glass

The PV modules are inevitably installed outdoors and receive direct sunlight. Therefore, protective glass or film is required to protect the surface of the PV module from the wind, rain, snow and dust, and other environments. However, the incident light is reflected from the surfaces of these protective layers, resulting in a considerable efficiency loss. In this study, we developed a moth-eye structure with HSQ using a direct-transfer printing process to fabricate anti-reflective coatings on the protective glass. In addition, we also conducted long-term field tests to monitor and measure the impact of the fabricated anti-reflective structures and durability against environmental factors. The transmittance of the glass substrate increased to 95.0% as a result of the fabricated SiO_x-based moth-eye patterns. In addition, the PV module with the moth-eye-patterned protective glass generated 7.88% more electricity compared to that without the moth-eye-patterned glass during 1-year field test.