For curved PV modules, the demands of the manufacturing process, particularly on the laminator, increase, since the added height of the module introduces another dimension. Therefore, conventional lamination methods currently used in the PV industry such as plate-plate lamination or plate-membrane lamination cannot be implemented. Robert Bürkle GmbH and Fraunhofer ISE are jointly developing an industrial laminator for 3D PV modules that will be suitable for the production of modules with a wide range of contours. “Our goal is to further develop 3D lamination and corresponding processes in such a way that curved modules can also be produced cost-effectively in large quantities in the future," says Christoph Kutter, project head at Fraunhofer ISE, on the project aim. Saint-Gobain Research Germany contributes to the project by comparing the newly developed lamination process with the autoclave process.

To generate as much electricity as possible on the limited space available on a car roof or other integrated application, the 3D PV modules must be as efficient as possible. Here, a so-called shingle interconnection of solar cells is a promising approach for a high-efficiency module. In the shingle technology, conductive adhesives are used to interconnect the individual solar cells. Netzsch-Gerätebau GmbH is developing measurement equipment for characterizing the conductivity of the adhesives. In order to more precisely determine the performance and long-term stability, Fraunhofer ISE is developing a unique measurement method for characterizing the output power of curved shingle modules. In addition, together with the company Denkweit GmbH, they are further developing the magnetic field imaging technique for the measurement of curved modules. This imaging method enables defects in PV modules to be detected by analyzing their electromagnetic fields.