How Edge Sealants Can Improve Performance in Crystalline Modules
Emerging trends in photovoltaic (PV) module development have exposed a need for higher levels of moisture protection throughout the PV marketplace—where edge sealant technology can make an impact.
Large-scale solar power investors are increasingly looking for new levels of quality assurance to help them be confident their investments will pay off. Bankability is a critical metric. It demonstrates market confidence in your products and is increasingly a measure by which purchasers of PV modules are basing their decisions. Modules that deliver longevity, reliability, and durability can prove to investors and customers that it’s worth placing their trust in a company and its products.
In this article, we’ll explore how and why moisture protection technologies — specifically, desiccated polyisobutylene/butyl (PIB) edge sealants — can help create greater reliability than modules without such protection. While it is typically assumed that crystalline silicon (c-Si) panels are not sensitive to moisture ingress over the long term, testing performed by Quanex’s technical teams shows that this common wisdom is not necessarily true. Our methods have demonstrated edge sealants’ ability to provide high levels of moisture protection beyond current design methods in c-Si panels, helping to reduce moisture-related power degradation and achieve more power output over a longer lifetime.