Another major contributor to this dynamic environment is the rapid evolution of cell technology. Over the past 2 years, TOPCon technology has emerged as a mainstream solution, with heterojunction (HJT) and back contact (XBC) technologies also gaining a considerable commercial footprint. These shifts have triggered new developments in the materials segment, as module manufacturers optimize their bills of materials (BOM) to align with the latest technologies. Beyond their role in influencing costs, backsheets and encapsulants are critical to ensuring module reliability – the third key metric of a solar module, alongside price and performance. As module technologies advance, these materials must also meet stringent reliability and durability standards.
On the encapsulation materials side, this has led to the increasing adoption of co-extruded EVA-POE-EVA (EPE), a low-cost alternative to POE that also offers superior performance versus the standard EVA. Innovative concepts like light conversion films that convert the incident UV light into blue band have not only saved cell technologies such as HJT from UV-induced degradation (UVID) but have also helped enhance performance. Light conversion films are now also being evaluated in TOPCon to address UVID. Backsheets are also facing immense price pressure and fierce competition from glass. As a result, double-sided coatings-based backsheets have become the most favored. Even the non-fluoropolymer backsheets have started gaining traction on account of sustainability. On the other hand, with all the latest cell structures raising the bar for permeable moisture ingression, backsheets are gradually losing ground to glass.
TaiyangNews has been at the forefront of tracking developments in module BOM for several years through market surveys and virtual conferences. Our coverage began in 2017 with a focus on backsheets and expanded in 2019 to include encapsulation materials. Backsheets and encapsulation materials are also central to the TaiyangNews Virtual Conference on Module Reliability, most recently held in October 2024 (see the recordings here).
In this 5th edition of the TaiyangNews Market Survey on Backsheets & Encapsulation Materials 2024/25, we continue to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest techno-commercial developments in these 2 critical components of the module BOM. This report also includes a detailed description of products from leading suppliers, offering valuable insights into the evolving backsheet and encapsulation landscape.
The text is an excerpt from the latest TaiyangNews Market Survey on Backsheets & Encapsulation Materials 2024/25, which can be downloaded for free here.
