Energetica India Magazine nº88 March-April 2020

new (less than 4 years old) but they have PV modules with backsheet materials that have shown premature degradation between 5 – 8 years and are highly likely to show backsheet failures over the next few years. E nergetica I ndia : What kind of role does a backsheet play in maintaining effi - ciency and long-lasting working of a module? R ajaram P ai : Solar backsheets are a critical outer layer of solar panels. They provide the first line of defence for solar cells and encapsulating materials, pro - tecting them from environmental stress- es including moisture and UV, while providing electrical insulation from high voltage. They are key to ensure optimal and sustained power output over the panel’s lifetime as well as the safe oper - ation of PV systems. Long-term outdoor exposure is the ultimate test for all mod - ule components, material quality and manufacturing quality. E nergetica I ndia : How suitable is Ted- lar® for the varying Indian climatic conditions? R ajaram P ai : DuPont™ Tedlar® PVF film- based backsheets have now been test - ed in the field for more than 30 years in all kinds of climates (desert, tropics, temperate, marine, mountain) and have a field proven track record of protecting solar panels for 35+ years in the service environment with very low defect rates. Even in extreme outdoor conditions, the possibility of failure is very low and Ted - lar® based backsheets can help reliable performance in the field. energetica INDIA- March-April_2020 21 INTERVIEW