A flexible solar panel module is provided having a plurality of non-flexible solar panels, a plurality of non-flexible covers and a flexible back sheet. Each of the non-flexible solar panels has a photoreactive device layer, a positive ribbon and a negative ribbon. The non-flexible covers correspond to the non-flexible solar panels respectively and are disposed on front surfaces of the non-flexible solar panels. Each of the non-flexible covers is bigger in size than each of the non-flexible solar panels. The flexible back sheet is disposed under back surfaces of the non-flexible solar panels and has a plurality of openings therein. A first water-resistant sealant is disposed between adjacent non-flexible covers and physically contacts the flexible back sheet. A second water-resistant sealant is disposed between the non-flexible covers and the flexible back sheet and covers sidewalls of the non-flexible solar panels. The non-flexible solar panels are laminated with the flexible back sheet and regions between adjacent non-flexible solar panels are flexible/bendable regions of the flexible solar panel module.

A transparent gas barrier film that has excellent gas barrier properties and includes a transparent gas barrier layer having a very low internal stress, and a method for producing the same. The transparent gas barrier film according to the present invention includes: a resin substrate; and a transparent gas barrier layer formed over the resin substrate. The transparent gas barrier layer includes at least one kind selected from the group consisting of metals and metalloids. The transparent gas barrier layer includes a plurality of layers each having a density that changes continuously from high density to low density or from low density to high density and then cycles alternatively from low density to high density or high density to low density, respectively, once or two or more times.

A polyester film has excellent resistance to hydrolysis, excellent heat resistance in high temperatures and low humidity, and mechanical strength. The polyester film satisfies a stress heat resistant coefficient f(125)3 and a wet thermo retention (=100S(120)/S(0)) of 30% or more. f(125) is a value obtained by substituting t=125 C. in an approximation represented by f(t); t represents a temperature ( C.) at thermo processing; f(t) represents a stress heat resistant coefficient f at the thermo temperature t and represents an approximation to a straight line obtained by linear approximation by a least squares method of values plotted from a relationship between the thermo temperature t and a logarithm (log T(t)) of time T at which a rupture stress is 50% when t is 150 C., 160 C., 170 C., or 180 C.; T(t) is a time (hr) at which the maximum stress in a tensile test after thermo processing at t C. and 0% RH is 50% of the maximum stress in a tensile test before thermo processing; S(120) is breaking elongation (%) after aging for 100 hours at 120 C. and 100% RH, and S(0) represents a breaking elongation (%) before aging.

The current invention relates to a solar-cell module backing monolayer obtained by melt-extruding a polymer composition comprising (a) a polyamide, (b) an elastomer and (c) an elastomer that contains groups that bond chemically and/or interact physically with the polyamide, and wherein the elastomer constitutes the continuous phase of the polymer composition and the polyamide constitutes the dispersed phase of the polymer composition, characterized in that the polymer composition comprises from 10 to 50 wt. % of the polyamide (a) and from 50 to 90 wt. % of the elastomer (b) and (c) (of the total weight of polyamide (a) and elastomer (b) and (c) present in the polymer composition).

Photovoltaic modules including a plurality of solar cells bonded to a module back sheet are described herein, wherein each solar cell includes a superstrate bonded to a front side of a photovoltaic device to facilitate handling of very thin photovoltaic devices during fabrication of the module. Modules may also include module front sheets and the solar cells may include bottom sheets. The modules may be made of flexible materials, and may be foldable. Fabrication processes include tabbing photovoltaic devices prior to attaching the individual superstrates.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a laminated polyester film including: a biaxially oriented polyester film which is produced by stretching an un-stretched polyester film in a first direction and stretching the resultant in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction along a film surface and has a small endothermic peak temperature of 160 C. or higher and 210 C. or lower, which is derived from a heat setting temperature measured by differential scanning calorimetry; and an undercoat layer which is formed by applying an undercoat layer forming composition onto one surface of the polyester film stretched in the first direction before being stretched in the second direction, and stretching the resultant in the second direction, and has a modulus of elasticity of 0.7 GPa or higher, a production method thereof, and a solar cell protective sheet and a solar cell module which include the laminated polyester film.

Provided are a solar cell rear surface protective sheet comprising: a base material film including a white polyester film and having a thickness of from 20 m to 500 m, a first resin layer having a modulus of tensile elasticity of 1.2 GPa or higher and 3.0 GPa or lower and a thickness of 1 m or greater, and a second resin layer having a lower modulus of tensile elasticity than the first resin layer, which are laminated in this order.

A back sheet for a photovoltaic module includes a single substrate film and a layer C, the layer C contains an acrylic resin as a major component, the substrate film including a layer A and a layer B, wherein the layer A contains a polyester resin as a major component, contains a white pigment in an amount of 5.0% by mass to 25% by mass, has a thickness of 5 m or more, and is disposed on another surface of the back sheet, and the layer B contains a polyester resin as a major component, contains a white pigment in an amount of 1.0% by mass to less than 5.0% by mass based on the total amount of the layer B, and has a thickness accounting for 70% or more of the total thickness of the back sheet. The layer C may be made of a composition of an acrylic resin having a reactive functional group, a protected isocyanate compound, and an unprotected isocyanate compound.

A solar cell panel with a bottom cover plate and an electrically conductive bus bar. A top cover plate having at least one electrically conductive land in communication with a bottom surface of the top cover plate. The land having a height extending from the bottom surface of the top cover plate. An array of rows and columns of solar cell chips lying between the bottom cover plate and the top cover plate. Each solar cell chip of the array having an anode adjacent to a top surface and a cathode adjacent to a bottom surface. The bus bar in electrical communication with each cathode of each solar cell chip of the array. Each land in electrical contact with each anode of a solar cell chip of the array. An opening formed between adjacent lands wherein the opening extends at least the height of the lands.

Disclosed herein is an integrated back-sheet for a back-contact solar cell module, which comprises: (i) a polymeric substrate having a back surface and a front surface; (ii) a tie layer comprising a back sub-layer and a front sub-layer, in which the back sub-layer is adhered to the front surface of the polymeric substrate, and in which the back sub-layer is comprised of one or more ethylene copolymers and the front sub-layer is comprised of a blend of one or more ethylene copolymers and one or more polyolefins at a weight ratio of about 3:97-60:40 or about 5:95-55:45; and (iii) electrically conductive metal circuits adhered to the front sub-layer of the tie layer. Also disclosed herein are processes for forming such an integrated back-sheet, back-contact solar cell modules made with such an integrated back-sheet, and processes for forming such back-contact solar cell modules