DSM Advanced Solar has developed an ‘all purpose’ Endurance backsheet D15 — a product that fills a gap in the solar market by delivering solid protection and durability for a wide range of solar modules at an ideal performance-cost ratio. Built on the same co-extrusion technology platform as DSM’s existing B series with its unique polyolefin strong core, this new addition to the Endurance backsheet portfolio is an all-purpose backsheet for mainstream applications that is already proven to perform. This intro comes in the midst of unprecedented backsheet failure in the industry. Some 16% of all module failures are related to the backsheet component, according to the latest Global PV Reliability Report from DuPont. This adds up to an estimated $4.5 bn module investment at stake in 2020.
“Increasingly we are seeing – and hearing from customers – that traditional backsheet design has reached its limits and is no longer fit for purpose in the longer term,” says Pascal de Sain, Vice President of DSM Advanced Solar. “Extreme cost pressure has led to thinner backsheets, made from inferior PET-based materials with less and less fluoropolymer content. But our new Endurance backsheet D15 addresses this challenge by delivering outstanding module protection, based on industry leading technology – affordably.”
What’s cool? Not only has the tech delivered in the field for almost six years without a fault; it recently became the recipient of the world’s first integrated stress sequence accelerated aging certificate, from industry leading third-party testing and certification organization, TÜV SÜD. This tough material evaluation simulates natural conditions through a combination of damp heat aging, ultraviolet aging, high-and-low temperature cycle aging, and other sequences.
Materials: The Endurance backsheet D15 is co-extruded in a single-step process with no adhesives needed. The result is a strong multi-material product that also features the strongest core layer on the market – made from polyolefin instead of PET. This in turn enables the D15 backsheet to deliver excellent moisture protection and sand abrasion resistance coupled with outstanding mechanical, UV and chemical resistance.
Sustainable story: In addition to benefitting performance, the Endurance backsheet D15 also benefits the planet. The product is produced via a completely transparent manufacturing process with full traceability of Bill of Materials. Furthermore, it delivers the same sustainability benefits as the rest of the Endurance backsheet family. Endurance backsheet D15 is completely fluorine free with up to a 30% lower carbon footprint than traditional equivalents – and is fully recyclable with no production waste.
— Solar Builder magazine
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.