Thermally Conductive Backsheets (TCB) of PV Modules: Positive Impacts on Performance, Lifetime and LCOE

The operating temperatures of photovoltaic (PV) modules can be impacted by the selection specific packaging materials, e.g., backsheets and encapsulants. This research focuses on evaluation temperature reduction one-cell comparing conventional Tedlar/polyester/Tedlar (TPT) backsheet with novel thermally conductive (TCBs) materials. A large number two TCB types (TCB_A TCB_B) baseline TPT type were fabricated installed in three different climatic conditions hot-dry desert Arizona (high low wind speed locations) North Carolina (temperate location). In this study, these TCBs compared terms performance, lifetime levelized cost energy (LCOE). field results analyzed for thermal performance to at sites half years. study concludes that electrical performances PV improved using TCB_A hot dry climate TCB_B temperate sites. Therefore, TCB-based is expected higher than TPT-based modules. Using backsheet-specific power degradation levels assuming same both backsheets, LCOE estimated lower TPT.