Low Irradiance Conditions (LIC): definition and testing

LIC is the acronym for Low Irradiance Conditions. IRC is geared to testing panel performance at under conditions with low sun irradiance.

What are the specifications of LIC?

Low Irradiance Conditions specify testing of a module’s output performance under low sun irradiance conditions as they occur in geographical regions and seasons with few and/ or weak sunshine, precisely: LIC simulates and test the performance of solar panels at higher latitudes and during winter.LIC applies an insolation of 200W/ m², 25°C module temperature, zero wind speed and an air mass of AM 1.5. The detailed required solar spectral irradiance distribution is laid down in the IEC 60904-3 (Measurement principles for terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) solar devices with reference spectral irradiance data).

Purpose of Low Irradiance Conditions testing

Even though a specific testing method that is mostly applied during lab-internal solar panel performance testing and rarely applied during mass production quality testing, it is a major testing method for many solar panel end markets.For solar panel markets with significant sun irradiance condition changes over the year, most notably such as large markets in Central and Northern Europe, it is important for solar panel manufacturers to test and proof that even during comparably long winters the panels of the end clients generate an acceptable amount of electricity for which LIC is a useful testing standard.