Five key consideration in specifying the bill

of material(BoM)
Bill of material why it matters:
The solar PV bill of materials include Glass ,EVA encapsulation, Ribbon, Backsheet, Junction
Box, Frame ,Connector, Sealant etc. Selection of Right bill of material may not seem a major
concern but on field inspection have shown that correct bill of material plays an important role in
the overall performance of the Plant. For example- Backsheet of bad quality causes its yellowing
which lead the faster degradation of solar PV module. Ribbons corrosion visualized by its color
change also possess serious threat to the module performance and life as in extreme cases
Ribbon corrosion can lead to Backsheet degradation by resistive heating which indirectly effects
the energy generation and life of the module. Recently another problem called Snail trail has
also been found due to introduction of nanoparticles of silver into the silicon cells. So the quality
of module and life is dependent the material used for its manufacturing. In this article we have
tried to provide some key considerations which project developers can keep in mind while
deciding their PV module suppliers.

1.GLASS
A)It is import that the PV module is made of glass with anti-reflective (ARC) coating (ARC):

Use of ARC coating on the PV module glass reduces light reflectance thus maximizing the light
coupling to the solar cells. Typically about 4% of the incident solar radiation are reflected
through a normal glass and use of ARC coating on the PV module glass increases its generation
by up to 4%.

The coating on a PV glass increases the transmission by up to 2.4% at normal incidence, the anti-
reflective property of a coated glass is significantly increased when the angle of incidence of the
sunlight is increased (i.e. from high sun to low sun),as can be seen on the graph. When taking
into account the angle of incidence of the sunlight over the days, months and years, this
eventually translates into up to 5% of energy output increase in actual conditions.

Source : AGC solar

b) Ensure that PV modules are free with the TCO corrosion:

In case of Thin Film PV modules make sure that Glass is coated with TCO. The right balance
between transmission, haze and conductibility of the TCO coating enables for improving the thin
film cell efficiency. Indeed, when rightly deposited, the TCO has the potential

To lower the reflection at the interface with the absorber;

To increase the path of light into the absorber and;
To trap the light into the absorber.

Source : AGC solar

2. EVA SHEET
a ) Ensure the quality of EVA sheet:It should not allow the water ingress. Ethylene Vinyl Acetate
(EVA) and an encapsulant replacement for EVA are studied for their water vapor transmission
rate (WVTR) and adhesion properties. WVTR, at test conditionsupto85C/100%relative
humidity (RH), and adhesion values are measured before and after filtered xenon arc lamp
ultraviolet (UV) exposure and damp heat exposure at 85C/85%RH. Water ingress is quantified
by weight gain and embedded humidity sensors.

Source : Sungrid solar

b) EVA Gel Content should be over 67%: Gel content determination by extraction in THF
(Tetra hydrofuran).

Pass Criteria:

Good > 67%

Critical < 67%
Fail < 20% low Gel contents result from too short lamination cycles (too fast processing)
or bad raw material.

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3. BUSBAR or RIBBON

It is preferred to have a 3 Bus-bar design: Typically the electricity from the solar cells is taken by
the busbar made of silver foil. A busbar on the module surface area reduces its exposed area to
the light, hence some of the PV module suppliers have back contact material and conduct the
electricity generated through cells through back contact and makes the cells 100% exposure to
the solar radiations. Also most of the PV module suppliers have typically two bus bars, and some
of the suppliers use the three busbar design which increases the conductive area and increases the
cell resistive power losses. The 3 busbar design also reduces the chances of generated current
getting lost because of the finger interruptions or breaks.
Source : Sanyo solar cell.

4.BACKSHEET

The backsheet acts as an electrical insulator and must also protect against the following impacts:
ultraviolet radiation; temperature swings from -40C to +85C; humidity and vapor; dryness,
wind, dust and sand. Certain PV modules have begun showing signs of yellowing, a consequence
of backsheet deterioration. This phenomenon can impact on power plant performance and safety,
and is emerging as a potential problem waiting to happen with low-cost modules.

Ensure that backsheet is certified with respect to the following tests

Comparative Tracking Index (CTI).Rates resistance of an insulating material to

electrical breakdown, which would form a conductive path on the surface.
Damp Heat (DHT).Required for module certification, but not for backsheet. However,
poor performance of backsheet under damp heat conditions i.e. delamination,
degradation can affect module performance.
Flame Spread Index / Radiant Panel. Measures the surface flammability of a backsheet
material when exposed to both heat and flame.
Glow Wire Testing (GWFI/GWIT).Examines the temperatures at which materials
ignite by simulating the effect of heat that arises in malfunctioning electrical equipment.
 High Current Arc Ignition (HAI).Determines the likelihood of a power surge by
simulating loose connections and broken leads.
Horizontal Burn (HB).Determines the rate, at which a particular material will burn.
Hot Wire Ignition (HWI).Evaluates the ignition properties of a polymeric material when
adjacent to or supporting an overheated wire, whether insulated or uninsulated.
Partial Discharge (PD).Verifies the backsheet is engineered with insulation properties to
suit the voltage requirements of the module.

5.JUNCTION BOX

1. Ensure that the Junction Box is of good quality: The junction box should withstand to
high temperature conditions. The temperature of 150C (or even somewhat hotter) is
achievable locally at the cell and also at operating by-pass diode(s).

Junction boxes also degrades over the time and become prone fire hazards due to fretting
corrosion that led to a quick increase in contact resistance. A degraded junction box is shown
below.

Source : suncycle
Therefore PV module with thoroughly tested and IEC 61215(crystalline) certified should be
used.

Conclusion Although the solar cell constitutes the major part in the overall cost of the module
as compared to other components , but the bill of material plays an important role in the overall
performance of the solar module. During its life time PV module is exposed to extreme
conditions of high temperature, UV radiation ,snow , hail and strong winds and in such
conditions the life of the PV module is dependent on the material used in the manufacturing
process. For example: Backsheet Quality , Glass quality and Adhesion quality. Therefore the
right selection of BoM is essentially important for better performance of the PV module

Source : Firstgreen compilation

Here are some factors to consider before choosing your panels. First thing that comes to most
minds is price. However I warn you, lower prices can lead to hassles in long run. Solar panels are
meant to work for minimum 25 years or more and any compromise with quality will lead to
disastrous results. There are many well established brands in market, each brand provide same
wattage panels at different cost based on the quality. Some provide IEC bill of material panels at
higher cost and non conformity products at lower cost, others are very stringent about quality and

work only IEC bill of materials ( best practices ).Best way to go about it is to go to most
transparent solar panel manufacturer, a manufacture who welcome you to visit you to their
factory when your panels are manufactured. Keep in mind these most important points

1 Cells always check cells quality. Cells must be A grade solar cells with no reverse current,
scratches and spots. Cells must be fresh ( 6 months is expiry date ). Cells must have silver
coating and 200 microns thickness or more. Major manufacturer of cells is china. China cells has
many quality a , b , c , l grade. There are different technologies available based on cell efficiency
, technology and structure. Mono , multi , perc , mwt etc. If panels are respiratory system of solar
plant then cells are heart of solar panel so no compromise in this department. Rule of thumb , go
for taiwan cells. Some good cell companies are motech, nsp, Mhe

2 Backsheet Tedlar based backsheets are proven to work for more than 25 years. Tedlar is a
registered trade mark of dupont , which in collaboration with NASA formed Tedlar for solar
panel used in satellites. Tedlar based back sheets comes in c

ombination with pet as tpt , tpe.

It is poly vinyl fluoride. Many manufactures use pvdf , pet , Kpe and other materials but these
may not work for 25 years. Please click on link for detailed presentation on solar panel
performance comparison based on backsheet.
3 Eva stands for ethyl vinyl acetate. It is encapsulation for solar cells circuit and one of the
most critical component to ensure anti pid panels. Main component used to manufacture Eva is
resin and solution. Very few companies use Samsung resin, which is best material. Companies
like 3m and Str have very good Eva.

4 Silicon Sealant A good silicon sealant is crucial to maintain adhesion strength of junction
box and frame. A good sealant keeps module safe from rain, winds , dust and harsh
environmental factors. Some good solar grade sealants comes from companies like Dow Corning
, tonsan , Mccoy etc. Just remember to check sealant because many companies are using tape,
which provide no protection.

5 Junction box is an assembly of diodes, PPO material case and metal rails.

jbox is a device used for connecting positive and negative terminals of solar panels. Bypass
diodes are used to protect the devices from reverse currents and shading effect. Diodes used in 3
terminal 4 rails diodes starts from 15 amperes and goes upto 25 amperes. Higher the better.
Check ip rating of junction boxes based on usage Ip65, ip67 and ip68. Water protecting is most
important for successful solar power plant. Junction box comes with wires and mc4 connectors
for joining multiple solar panels. Dc Wires must be 4 mm as per iec standard and best mc4
connectors are most advance water proof ip68

Apart from above mentioned bill of material , other raw material are equally important. Make
sure you check each manufactures bill of material from quality of snpb Ratio in Ribbon to AR
coating of glass. Frames must be minimum 35 mm width with 20 micron anodised frame.