--- title: CSchmid description: Cordula Schmid, Ph.D., Associate Director, Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies, Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems CSE, Boston --- [![](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Fraunhofer%20USA%20transparent%20bg-1.png?width=4927&height=1348&name=Fraunhofer%20USA%20transparent%20bg-1.png)](http://cmi.fraunhofer.org) - [Blog](http://www.cleantechnotes.org) - [Living Lab](http://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/living-lab) - [Jobs/Career](http://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/jobs-careers) - [Contact](http://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/contact) ### People #### Cordula Schmid, Ph.D. Associate Director, PV Technologies ###### Expertise: - PV Durability Analysis - Failure Analysis for manufacturing industries including: - Photovoltaics - Automotive - Medical devices - Optics - Fracture Mechanics - Company Audits Dr. Cordula Schmid is the Associate Director of the PV Technologies group. Her research focuses primarily on the reliability related assessment of module packaging materials and the mechanical and electrical testing of modules. Prior to joining Fraunhofer CSE, Cordula served as a member of the scientific staff at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM in Freiburg, Germany, where she focused on identifying and mitigating mechanical and thermal loads in solar cells and modules. During this time, she also performed consulting work for domestic and international solar manufacturers, working with companies to develop methods for reducing breakage losses during solar cell processing and module fabrication. She obtained her Doctorate of Engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany. #### Recent Presentations and Publications Results per page - 2 - 3 - 4 Schmid, C., Honeker, C., Hoepfner, C., Watts, A., Lloyd, A., Lee, K., et al. - June 16, 2019 [Poster Session: Adhesive Mounting of Conventional PV Modules for Residential Solar.](https://www.ieee-pvsc.org/PVSC46/program-technical.php) [*46th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC 46)*](https://www.ieee-pvsc.org/PVSC46/), IEEE. Sheraton Grand Chicago, Chicago, IL. Honeker, C., Watts, A., Lloyd, A., Schmid, C., Booth, D., H.B. Fuller, Inc. - February 27, 2018 [Poster Session: Durability Challenges for the Adhesive Mounting of Conventional PV Modules for Residential Solar.](https://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/hubfs/NREL2018-choneker2.pdf) [*PV Reliability Workshop*](https://www.nrel.gov/pv/pvmrw.html), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Lakewood West Sheraton, Denver, CO. Christian Honeker presents. Honeker, C., Watts, A., Lloyd, A., Schmid, C. - February 12, 2018 [Poster Session: Adhesive Mounting of Conventional PV Modules for Residential Solar.](https://www.orau.gov/seto2018/) [*U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office Portfolio Review*](https://www.orau.gov/seto2018/), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Wardman Park Marriott, Washington, DC. Christian Honeker presents. Schmid, C., Singh, R., Honeker, C. - February 28, 2017 [Glass-less, frame-less lightweight c-Si module durability and robustness testing: a survey.](https://www.nrel.gov/pv/reliability-workshop/) [*NREL PV Reliability Workshop 2017 *](https://www.nrel.gov/pv/pvmrw.html), NREL/SNL/BNL. Denver West Sheraton Hotel, Lakewood, CO. Stark, C., Schmid, C., Singh, R. - February 23, 2016 PV Durability Initiative (PVDI) Long Term Outdoor Exposure Update. *NREL Reliability Workshop 2016*. Schmid, C., Ashmore, J. (2015). [The Influence of the PV Backsheet on the Formation of Snail Trails.](http://www.nrel.gov/pv/assets/pdfs/2015_pvmrw_115_schmid.pdf) In: NREL PV Reliability Workshop 2015. Golden: NREL, pp. 1-18. [Read More](https://www.nrel.gov/pv/pvmrw-2015.html) Schmid, C., Singh, R., Zimmermann, P., Ashmore, J. (2015). [Development of Qualification Tests for Glass-Less c-Si Modules.](http://www.nrel.gov/pv/assets/pdfs/2015_pvmrw_07_schmid.pdf) In: NREL PV Module Reliability Workshop 2015. Golden: NREL, pp. 1. [Read More](https://www.nrel.gov/pv/pvmrw-2015.html) Schmid, C., Singh, R. (2015). [Your module passed qualification testing, but is it also durable?](https://www.pv-tech.org/guest-blog/your_module_passed_qualification_testing_but_is_it_also_durable) In: PV-Tech Blog. . Schmid, C., Singh, R. (2015). Fraunhofer PV Durability Initiative for Solar Modules: Part 3. In: PV Tech Power. 4. Singh, R., Schmid, C., Ashmore, J. (2015). Understanding PID: Improving the performance of large PV systems. In: PV Tech Power. 3. Schmid, C. (2015). [Lightweight module durability: Working to address a market barrier.](http://www.pv-tech.org/guest_blog/lightweight_module_durability_working_to_address_a_market_barrier) In: PV-Tech Blog. . Schmid, C. - January 1, 2014 PV Module Degradation & Lifecycle Analysis. *EPRI Project Meeting*, SolarTAC.. Singh, R., Schmid, C. (2014). [Literature Study and Risk Analysis for Potential Induced Degradation.](https://www.epri.com/#/pages/product/000000003002003737/) In: EPRI Energy & Environment Technical Report. : EPRI. Kinsey, G., Meakin, D., Schmid, C., Ferrara, C., Stecklum, S. (2013). [Results of the first round of the Photovoltaic Durability Initiative.](http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6744445/) In: 2013 IEEE 39th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC). Tampa: IEEE, pp. 1571-1574. [Read More](http://www.ieee-pvsc.org/PVSC39/) Schmid, C., Meakin, D., Kinsey, G., Ferrara, C., Stecklum, S. (2013). [The PV Durability Initiative.](http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6744445/) In: PV Rollout 2013. Atlanta, pp. 1571-1574. Kinsey, G., Schmid, C., Meakin, D., Stark, C. (2013). Durability and Outdoor Performance Comparison of PV Modules. In: 28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition. Munich: WIP, pp. 3289-3290. Meakin, D., Schmid, C., Kinsey, G., Ferrara, C., Stecklum, S. (2013). Fraunhofer PV Durability Initiative for Solar Modules. In: Photovoltaics International. 20th Edition , pp. 77-87. Schmid, C., Fuller, E., MacBride, B., Mickiewicz, R., Kinsey, G., Zhou, J., et al. (2013). Angle of Incidence Performance Study of PV Modules with Patterned Polycarbonate Front Sheets. In: Proceedings of the 28th EUPVSEC. Munich: EU PVSEC, pp. 3090-3092. Schmid, C., Chapon, J., Kinsey, G., Bokria, J., Woods, J. (2012). Impact of High Light Transmission EVA-Based Encapsulant on the Performance of PV Modules. In: 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition. Frankfurt: EU PVSEC, pp. 3494-3498. Schmid, C., Libby, C., Kalejs, J., Kinsey, G., Honeker, C., Li, B., et al. (2012). Review of Photovoltaic System Reliability Challenges and Opportunities. White Paper sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). : EPRI. Results per page - 2 - 3 - 4 #### Contact ![CSchmid.jpg](https://www.cmi.fraunhofer.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Staff_Photos/CSchmid_15.png?width=200&height=200&name=CSchmid_15.png) ##### Cordula Schmid, Ph.D. Associate Director, PV Technologies Office +1 (617) 714-6515 [Email](mailto:cschmid@cse.fraunhofer.org) - © 2026 Fraunhofer USA - [Site map](http://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/site-map) - [Intranet](http://www.fraunhofer.org/en/fraunhofer-usa-file-share-.html) - [Terms of Service](http://www.fraunhofer.org/en/publishing-notes.html) - [Data Protection](https://www.cse.fraunhofer.org/dataprotection)