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Encapsulant Materials and Their Adoption in Photovoltaic Modules: A Brief Review

Author

Listed:
  • Nadka Tz. Dintcheva

    (Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 6, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Elisabetta Morici

    (Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 6, 90128 Palermo, Italy
    ATeN Center, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 18, 90128 Palermo, Italy)

  • Claudio Colletti

    (3SUN-Enel Green Power SpA Contrada Blocco Torrazze, Zona Industriale Catania, 95121 Catania, Italy)

Abstract

In the last two decades, the continuous, ever-growing demand for energy has driven significant development in the production of photovoltaic (PV) modules. A critical issue in the module design process is the adoption of suitable encapsulant materials and technologies for cell embedding. Adopted encapsulants have a significant impact on module efficiency, stability, and reliability. In addition, to ensure the unchanged performance of PV modules in time, the encapsulant materials must be selected properly. The selection of encapsulant materials must maintain a good balance between the encapsulant performance in time and costs, related to materials production and technologies for cells embedding. However, the encapsulants must ensure excellent isolation of active photovoltaic elements from the environment, preserving the PV cells against humidity, oxygen, and accidental damage that may compromise the PV module’s function. This review provides an overview of different encapsulant materials, their main advantages and disadvantages in adoption for PV production, and, in relation to encapsulant technologies used for cell embedding, additives and the interaction of these materials with other PV components.

Suggested Citation

  • Nadka Tz. Dintcheva & Elisabetta Morici & Claudio Colletti, 2023. "Encapsulant Materials and Their Adoption in Photovoltaic Modules: A Brief Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9453-:d:1169395
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Oliveira, Michele Cândida Carvalho de & Diniz Cardoso, Antônia Sonia Alves & Viana, Marcelo Machado & Lins, Vanessa de Freitas Cunha, 2018. "The causes and effects of degradation of encapsulant ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) in crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2299-2317.
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