[EU PVSEC] New Material Developed to Cut Production Cost of Solar Modules

The module prototyped with a new material

Dow Corning Corp developed a new silicon material that it claims can reduce the production cost of solar cell modules and exhibited a prototype module made with it at the EU PVSEC.

The company developed a substitute material for EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) film used to attach solar battery cells to glass. EVA films are attached to the solar battery cells and the glass after being heated by a laminator. It takes about 15 minutes to process four module at the same time. So, the processing time per module is about four minutes.

In the case of the new material, "though we cannot reveal the details, the cells are bonded to the glass by applying liquid-state silicon material," Dow Corning said. The processing time per module is 60 to 90 seconds. Therefore, by replacing EVA film with the new material, the entire cost including the costs of materials and manufacturing equipment can be reduced, the company said.

The solar cell modules used in the prototype are made by Trina Solar Ltd of China.