DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions (DPVS) announced at the beginning of June 2009 that its new DuPont PV5300 Series encapsulant sheets made of a clear, super-tough ionomer, were being used in the first bui…
DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions (DPVS) announced at the beginning of June 2009 that its new DuPont PV5300 Series encapsulant sheets made of a clear, super-tough ionomer, were being used in the first building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) modules now commercialized. Italian System Photonics SpA says that its new Roof Collection BIPV solar tiles are an elegant new choice to add aesthetically appealing, built-in photovoltaic power generation when roofing or re-roofing. The new DuPont PV5300 Series encapsulant sheets, which have thermoplastic polymers as isonomers, are used in the Roof Collection solar tiles to improve module strength, durability and cost-per-watt efficiency. The BIPV roofing tiles are manufactured so as to guarantee easy installation and long-lasting power production. “Our technical focus is crystalline silicon-based photovoltaic power generation, in durable roofing tiles that mount directly to the structural framing,” said Gianluca Aiazzi, CEO of System Photonics. “Because it“s a high-volume application, our strategy was to reduce module labour costs through advanced automation, and then seek further cost-per-watt efficiencies and module manufacturing advantages through ongoing materials science.” System Photonics“ roofing tiles have power generating cells embedded between two 35mm sheets of clear DuPont PV5300 Series encapsulant. The latter is mounted onto individual 1-metre wide ceramic tiles. The BIPV roofing tiles are topped with low-iron glass, which is also held in position by the new encapsulant. The completed assembly is pressed together and heat-sealed using automated vacuum laminators with robotic feeds. Attilio Russo, chief technology officer for System Photonics, led the development of the new design after seeing DuPont SentryGlas safety glass interlayer. Discussions with DuPont then identified that similar benefits could be gained in photovoltaics from using DuPont PV5300 encapsulant sheets, which are five times tougher and up to 100 times stiffer than the PVB and EVA sheets more commonly used as encapsulants. “We needed a material that could add to module strength and support automated sheet handling equipment,” explains Russo. “The encapsulant needed to be easily managed and aligned across all steps of the production process. Other encapsulant sheets were too floppy and elastic, making them hard to handle; so we immediately saw production speed advantages with the DuPont PV5300 sheet.” System Photonics designed its “Roof Collection” tiles with open, frameless edges for architectural elegance and simplicity. “Compared with other encapsulants we tested, the stiffer DuPont PV5300 ionomer sheet also made modules more impact-resistant and much more durable in weather-exposed open edges,” notes Russo.