CentroSolar Developed Thin Solar Glass for Photovoltaic (PV) Modules

CentroSolar Glas GmbH & Co. KG has developed a particularly thin solar glass for photovoltaic (PV) modules. With solar glass that is only 2.3 millimetres (mm) or 2.6mm thick, CentroSolar Glas has transferred into series production this cover glass for PV modules and solar-thermal collectors. The Fürth (Germany) based company succeeded in reducing the minimum thickness of the glass by almost 30% while keeping the same mechanical resistance, thanks to process optimisation. The thin glass reduces the total weight of the modules, simplifying assembly and saving transportation and mounting costs. This thin solar glass is suitable for glass-to-glass modules. Until now, single-pane safety glass required a minimum thickness of 3mm. The CentroSol thin glass, which was exhibited at Intersolar Europe 2012 in June in Munich, Germany, also offers higher light transmission. It extends the operating life of the PV modules because glass is more resistant to environmental effects than a plastic backsheet. The thermal conductivity of glass is higher than a backing film, reducing the cell operating temperature of a glass-to-glass module and improving efficiency especially in hot climatic conditions. The thin glass sandwich gives the PV module a genuine high-tech character and the customer can match the colour of the glass-backing to the roof. The energy yield can be further increased by means of the CentroSol HiT Nano Power antireflective coating. This coating further improves the transmission properties and, therefore, the annual energy yield of a PV system by up to 6%. Furthermore, the low-iron solar glass with antireflective coating exhibits hydrophilic surface properties, creating a degree of self-cleaning. Source: GlassInChina