Cost advantage of double-glass bifacial modules

Our analysis identified the following benefits for glass-glass configuration bifacial modules: The polymer backsheet that traditional modules use is made from plastic with poor resistance to acid and corrosion. Prolonged exposure to air may bring about yellowing, cracking, degradation and chalking, etc.

In recent years, an increasing number of module manufacturers have shifted towards transparent backsheets due to their numerous advantages over traditional glass modules. Bifacial Glass-Backsheet (G-B) modules are 17% lighter than Glass-Glass (G-G) modules.

Bifacial glass technology is the preferred material among manufacturers for the rear side cover of the modules. Some key advantages of the glass-glass structure are: Glass-glass modules can also be frameless, which helps eliminate the cost of an extruded aluminum frame. However, glass-glass models with frames have a lower risk of breakage.

As a result, most glass-glass modules come with frames in place. Compared with standard glass backsheet technology, framed modules with two layers of glass are heavier. Therefore, transparent backsheets are a solution for a lighter bifacial module. A more lightweight module means less cost on transportation, labor, and trackers whenever applicable.

Cost is one of the biggest factors a big factor – particularly in the case of monofacial modules. Like for standard solar modules, the cost of bifacial modules has fallen precipitously over the last two decades. Notably, as costs have decreased, so too has the cost gap between mono- and bifacial modules.

However, Trina Solar has made such a breakthrough by abandoning the backsheet and developing the brand-new dual glass module. Trina Solar Vertex TSM-DEG21C.20 (670 W) framed dual-glass bifacial module