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In the field of photovoltaics, a photovoltaic module is a packaged interconnected assembly of photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells. An installation of photovoltaic modules or panels is known as a photovoltaic array.

Photovoltaic cells typically require protection from the environment. For cost and practicality reasons a number of cells are connected electrically and packaged in a photovoltaic module, while a collection of these modules that are mechanically fastened together, wired, and designed to be a field-installable unit are known as a photovoltaic panel or simply solar panel.

A photovoltaic installation typically includes an array of photovoltaic modules or panels, an inverter, batteries (for off grid) and interconnected wiring.

Contents [hide]
1 Crystalline silicon modules
2 Rigid thin-film modules
3 Flexible thin-film modules
4 External Links
5 See also



[edit] Crystalline silicon modules
The most common design of modules contains 72 cells connected in three strings. The cells are connected using conductive ribbons into 'strings'. The strings are sandwiched between a solar glass frontside and a flexible durable polymer backsheet, using a polymeric encapsulant. The encapsulant is melted and crosslinked in a vacuum laminator. The strings are electrically terminated into a junction box usually glued to the back of the module. A frame made of aluminium profile is fitted around the edges.


1. Cells connected to make string
2. encapsulant film ready
3. ready for lamination. Note ribbons terminating 2 strings

4. after lamination
5. Aluminium profiles added to make the frame


[edit] Rigid thin-film modules
In rigid thin film modules, the cell is created directly on a glass substrate or superstrate, and the electrical connections are created in situ, so called "monolithic integration". The substrate or superstrate is laminated with an encapsulant to a front or back sheet.

The main cell technologies in this category are CdTe, amorphous silicon, micromorphous silicon (alone or tandem), or CIGS (or variant).


[edit] Flexible thin-film modules
Flexible thin film cells are created by depositing the photoactive layer and other necessary layers on a flexible substrate. If the substrate is an insulator (e.g. polyester or polyimide film) then monolithic integration can be used. If a conductor then monolithic integration cannot be used, and another technique for electrical connection used. The cells are converted to a module by lamination to a transparent colourless fluoropolymer on the front side (typically ETFE or FEP) and a polymer suitable for bonding to the final substrate on the other side. The only commercially available (in MW quantities) in a flexible module is amorphous silicon triple junction (from Unisolar)


[edit] External Links
Illustration of manufacturing process of crystalline silicon modules at DuPont website
Video of cSi module manufacture process at the Spire corp website

[edit] See also
Energy Portal
Photovoltaics
Photovoltaic array
Photovoltaic cells
Building-integrated photovoltaic
List of photovoltaics companies