Latest developments in thinfilm encapsulant technology

August 18, 2011 J. I. Kim Regional Technical Services Leader

DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions

DuPont

Materials Cost Impact on PV Cells & Modules

Bill of Materials

Other Matls (12%) Junction Box (5%) Encap Film (6%) Front Glass (6%) Backsheet Film (8%) Metallization Pastes (12%)

Other Materials (4%) Conductive Ribbon (1%) Reflector Paint (4%) Junction Box (6%) Encapsulant Film (7%) Gases & Targets (11%)

Silicon Metal (51%)

Glass or Backsheet (13%) Module Frame (25%) TCO Front Glass (29%)

Crystalline Silicon

Thin Film

With encapsulants at only 6-7% of module cost, the largest cost impact comes from choosing the optimal encapsulant to enable overall system cost reductions

Examples of Required Encapsulant Attributes

Encapsulant Requirements for Thin Film Glass/ Glass Modules
Durability 25 years no delamination Cell efficiency over life of module Meets operating temperature requirements Low System Cost Compatibility with Top Coat Material Low Moisture Permeability Protect the Cell from Corrosion High Resistivity = Low Current Leakage Safety requirement Important in maintaining cell efficiency over lifetime Ease of Processing with High Thru-put Autoclave Vacuum laminator No Lamination Defects No bubbles Ease of Handling

Relative Performance of Encapsulants in Thin Film, Glass/Glass Modules

Encapsulant Materials* Property Resistivity Moisture Ingress UV Durability High Modulus Low Modulus Thermoplastic Transmittance Flow Properties Impact Electrical Insulation Cell degradation Yellowing/Degradation Laminate strength Internal Stress Relief Yield, rework Module Energy Output Works with multiple lamination technologies Poor Best Performance Spectrum EVA PVB
Polyolefin Ionomer

*Colors based on published data or DuPont Internal Testing

DPVS Technology Roadmap - Thin Film Rigid

2009 2010 2011 2012
Savings

Advanced TCO Layers New oxide systems with better cost-performance. Front End Front Glass Enhancements Materials and processes to improve light trapping, self cleaning. PV 5200 Encapsulant
Optimized PVB based films for glass-glass modules.

Up to $0.20/W

PV 5300 Encapsulant
High strength/low permeability films for reduced system costs.

Back End Functionalized Encapsulants

Higher reflectivity PVB & ionomer systems for efficiency gains.

Up to $0.20/W

Back End Process improvement

Optimized encapsulant & lamination processes.

BOS

Module Installation
Integrated material solutions for total installed system cost reduction.

Up to $0.45/W

> $0.8/W cost reduction target

Materials Innovations Contribute to Lower Costs

Innovation Reflective Encapsulant Films Enabling Materials Encapsulants Reduced LCOE via: Module Cost

Thin high reflective encapsulant

1 0.9 0.8 0.7 Reflectance 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 350

DuPont PV5223 0250100 encapsulant films introduced to market in April 2010 50% higher reflectivity Paint elimination lower cost, process simplification

PV5223 - 0250100 White paint

450

550

650

750

850

950

1050

Wavelength, nm

40% encapsulant thickness reduction

Wider Lamination processing window & lower material consumption

White reflective DuPont PV5223 0250100 encapsulant sheet is textured for easy de-airing in Oerlikon Solar's multi-stack laminating process.

At 0.45-mm thickness, new DuPont PV5223 0250100 white PVB encapsulant sheet is more than 40% lighter-weight than traditional 0.76-mm clear PVB.

Materials Innovations Contribute to Lower Costs

Innovation Thermoplastic Ionomer Films Enabling Materials Encapsulants Reduced LCOE via: Module Cost

Lower moisture ingress

PV modules moisture ingress after 2000hr DH
0.45 0.40 0.35 % Moisture 0.30 0.25 0.20 0.15 0.10 0.05 0.00 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Distance from Edge (cm)

DuPont Ionomer film was introduced to market in 2009 Unique properties are ideal for glass-glass PV modules Cost savings of $3/panel by elimination of edge sealing

EVA Ionomer

Ionomers have Excellent Solar Transmission

Total Solar Transmission
94.0

92.0

90.0

88.0
%T

86.0
33% VA EVA

84.0

28% VA EVA Ionomer A

82.0

Ionomer B

80.0 300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

Wavelength (nm)

Materials Innovations Contribute to Lower Costs

Innovation Ionomer Films Enabling Materials Encapsulants, Thin Glass Reduced LCOE via: BOS Cost

Stronger laminates Reduced weight can reduce BOS costs Impermeable barrier for moisture sensitive technologies Laminate life well demonstrated in PV and architectural use

DuPont PV5300 Ionomer tougher (5x) and stiffer (100x) vs. PVB

Thin float glass 0.3mm to 1.1mm

Glass-like durability With polymer-like weight

Bending Data clearly shows the strength of Ionomer/Glass laminates

Test results Bending test

Glass/Ionomer/Glass (PV5300) 142N Glass/EVA/Glass Glass/PVB/Glass

65N

51N

250

Breakage Load (N)

200 150 100

EVA
50 0

PVB
0 10 20 30 40 50 60

-20

-10

Temperature (deg.C)

Fig. Shimadzu Autograph (AG-X)

1kN load cell, 3 point bending, Sample : 15*90*t3.0mm

The bending test showed the high strength of ionomer-glass laminates

Materials Innovations Contribute to Lower Costs

Innovation Modified Ionomer Films Enabling Materials Encapsulants Reduced LCOE via: Module Cost

Faster lamination cycle

DuPont PV8600 Lamination Performance
Fast cure type EVA Lamination 150 x 6min 150 x 16min Cure process Remarks Non cure process Used mainly Shorter Lamination outside Japan time We are recommending 150 3min 5min as a lamination condition to our customers. PV8600 Standard cure type EVA 125 x 5min 150 x 60min Standard process

DuPont PV8600* modified ionomer will be available outside Japan in 2011 Designed for modules with backsheet construction Laminates faster than EVA Brings capital cost savings in laminators and/or curing ovens

*available in Japan as DuPont PV8600 Himilan ES Encapsulant Series

Other benefits include improved moisture resistance and excellent corrosion resistance
DuPont PV8600 - Moisture barrier @ high temp.
350
Moisuture Permeability ( (g g /m 2 mm mm day day) )

300 250 200 150 100 50

PV8600

EVA

DuPont PV8600 - Corrosion

Metal plate PV8600 No change No change No change

0 40*90%RH

60*90%RH

85*90%RH

Ag Plate Inter connector Mo substrate

Test condition 85*90%RH*1000h

Data above is measured with no backsheet.

Structure: Glass/ PV8600/Metal plates/PV8600/Glass

Damp Heat testing of DuPont PV8600 in contact with silver coupons shows no change after 1000hrs

Materials Innovations Contribute to Lower Costs

Innovation High VA EVA Enabling Materials Encapsulants Reduced LCOE via: Efficiency

More transparent encapsulant Measurable increase in power output with higher VA% DuPont Elvax resins have demonstrated performance over 30 years Individual sheet performance can vary with formulation used by sheet producer

Power Gain variation with VA%*

33% VA EVA demonstrates 0.6% additional power output

*Constant formulation other than VA%

DuPont currently offers four Encapsulant solutions

DuPontTM PV5200 series (PVB sheet) based on Butacite DuPontTM PV5300 series (Ionomer sheet) based on SentryGlas DuPont PV8600 series (Modified Ionomer sheet) Developed by MDP JV Developed by the leader in the glass industry with over 60 years of innovation

DuPontTM Elvax PV1000 series (EVA Resin) - sold into PV market for 30 years

Pipeline of new innovative encapsulants

Relative Performance of Encapsulants in Thin Film, Glass/Glass Modules

Encapsulant Materials Property Resistivity Moisture Ingress UV Durability High Modulus Low Modulus Thermoplastic Impact Electrical Insulation EVA PVB
Polyolefin Ionomer

Encapsulant choice can enable or optimize many Cell degradation aspects of module design and performance.
Yellowing/Degradation

There is no single encapsulant solution that Laminate strength meets all needs
Internal Stress Relief

Module design, the manufacturing process and Yield, rework end-use applications may require very different properties Transmittance encapsulant Module Energy Output
Flow Properties Works with multiple lamination technologies

Colors based on published data or DuPont Internal Testing

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