Krempel starts new PV backsheet production

Designed for solar modules with cells for rear-side contacting, AKACON BCF^®, which is now being offered by the KREMPEL Group, is a new PV backsheet which is ready to go into production. The specialist in solar materials is thus making an important contribution to further development of this young technology, which will undoubtedly increase the efficiency of PV modules. Thru exploitation of the potential for innovation, an important product group has now been created in a market strongly oriented to prices.

As regards contacting, the contacts are only located on the cell rear side. This means that space on the front is freed up so that cell output can be increased. Corresponding cell designs are available, as well as economically efficient process concepts and production lines. This new technology is still on the sensitive threshold between a promising concept and a marketable product. For companies who are willing to take the next step, KREMPEL is a reliable partner with the appropriate PV backsheet laminates at just the right time.

The new AKACON BCF^® (Back Contacting Foil) family of products has everything that is essential for rear-side contacting: highly conductive contact surfaces on the cell side and excellent electrical insulation on the outward facing side. At the same time, the new product reliably performs all the other functions of a classical PV backsheet laminate such as lasting protection against harmful environmental influences. Moreover, AKACON BCF^® stands out due to two special characteristics that are technically important in terms of the process involved: outstanding flatness and high dimensional stability; the thermal shrinkage is less than 0.1 percent.

All this is based on more than four years of intense development work and the Group's several years of practical experience, including 20 years with solar materials and 30 years with copper materials for fine and very fine conductor technology. For example, KREMPEL makes materials for flexible printed circuit boards with conductor paths that are smaller than 100 µm, whereas rear-side contacting is still in the millimeter range. And to make sure that solar module manufacturers can submit orders flexibly, KREMPEL supplies individual quantities of the new metal laminates – with a customized structured form at mass-production prices.  KREMPEL machines are now good to go for series-production.