We obtained 17.9% cell efficiency on thin and large mc‐Si REC wafers using ECN's metal‐wrap‐through (MWT) concept. Optimization of several cell processing steps led to an increase of more than 2% absolute in cell efficiency. With these cells 36‐cell modules were manufactured at 100% yield in our industry scale module pilot line. The highest module efficiency obtained (as independently confirmed by JRC‐ESTI) was 17%. In this module the average cell efficiency was 17.8%; this shows a small difference between cell and module efficiency. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The overall demand in reducing the cost of electricity from solar energy has driven the cost of solar modules down. ECN developed an innovative module technology to enable this cost reduction requirement. The back-contact solar module concept caters specifically for high-efficiency solar cell types. It combines advanced module manufacturing design and process with emphasis on manufacturability and performance to provide an effective route toward the reduction of cost-performance ratio of crystalline silicon module. This paper discusses the recent achievement in the delivery of the world's first 17% efficient multi-crystalline silicon module by utilizing the back-contact module concept, and the corresponding optimizations that resulted in this number.

This paper discusses the impact of several combinations of encapsulants, conductive adhesives and back-sheet foils on ECN's back-contact modules performance and reliability. Damp-heat (85˚C; 85% R.H) and thermal cycling (-40˚C; +85˚C) tests were performed up to twice as long as described in the IEC-61215 standard, i.e. 2000 hours of damp-heat and 400 thermal cycles. These tests have been identified as the most important tests for this technology. After climatic chamber testing, the modules were analyzed visually and by electro-luminescence imaging.

No abstract

No abstract