More about New Industrial Cells Encapsulation (NICE)

State-of-the-art
The state-of-the-art module production process based on EVA lamination is due to its batch type character difficult to automate and relatively labour intensive. The so obtained modules do not fully arrive at a long term sealing quality as requested by the market.

Objectives
To reduce by >50% the PV module manufacturing costs and an increased, stable long term sealing quality.

New Approach
The newly developed and patented NICE technology makes use of a sealing material and the related processing equipment, which is already in use and validated by the insulating glass industry, replacing the traditional EVA lamination. The sealing material can be applied at room temperature and creates a perfect humidity barrier. The creation of an underpressure within the module further allows suppressing the soldering of solar cells to the metal connectors. The entire module process according to the NICE technology can be organised in-line since time consuming batch type operations like the EVA are no longer necessary. The NICE process is therefore easy to automate, less labour intensive and requires less surface area.

Status
A number of modules have been produced which passed the IEC 61215 tests without any degradation. Apollon Solar has set up a consortium with different specialised partners from Germany and France, aiming at the realisation of an industrial pilot production line of a 45 MW/year capacity, to industrially validate the NICE process.

• Poster presented at 23rd EU PVSEC in Valencia
  

• Brochure about NICE