EoW November 2013

58 / 100

Technical article
November 2013 56
Abstract
PV ribbon is an essential component in
every mainstream solar panel and is used
to interconnect solar cells and provide
connection to the junction box. PV
ribbon is tinned copper ribbon between
1mm-6mm wide and 0.08mm-0.5mm
thick, with a 10 micron-30 micron thick
solder coat. The quality of PV ribbon and
its soldering to the solar cells is essential to
ensure panel efficiency and durability.
This article scans the market dynamics of
PV ribbon manufacturing and outlines PV
ribbon product specifications commonly
required by the panel manufacturers.
These include properties such as material
compositions, dimension ranges,
straightness, solder coat thickness,
mechanical characteristics and others.
The traditional tinning process is
compared to the new chemical-free
plasma assisted tinning process, which
has been widely adopted in the West
and increasingly in Asia as well. The two
production processes are compared in
terms of output, productivity, efficiency,
process control and environmental impact.
PV ribbon
PV ribbon is a hot dip tinned copper
conductor used in photovoltaic solar
panels. There are two types of PV ribbon:
The interconnect or tabbing ribbon and
PV bus bar, both needed in a typical silicon
solar cell. Thin film panels usually require
only bus bar.
The interconnect ribbon is soldered
directly onto silicon crystal to interconnect
solar cells in a solar panel. The
interconnect ribbon carries the current
generated in solar cells to the PV bus bar.
PV ribbon: Overview of
product specifications and
comparison of production
processes
By Igor Rogelj, Peter Ziger and Primoz Eiselt, Plasmait GmbH, Lebring, Austria
▲ ▲ Figure 1: Interconnect ribbon produced on the PlasmaPREPLATE Tinning line and wound on the spool as a finished
product ready for stringing
PV bus bar is a hot dip tinned copper
conductor installed around the perimeter
of the solar panels. PV bus bar connects
interconnect ribbons to the junction box.
PV ribbon market
dynamics
PV ribbon manufacturing is a growing,
dynamic and fragmented part of the PV
industry. There are many different types of
solar panels and solar cells, which require
different types of PV ribbons. Solar panel
and cell designs are constantly changing
driven by rapid innovation in the PV
industry.
This results in ever changing PV ribbon
specifications. PV ribbon suppliers are also
under constant price pressure, which is led
by fast declines in solar panel prices.
PV ribbon is a key component in the solar
panel and is an important factor driving
panel efficiency and durability. High
efficiency and durability of the solar panel
can only be achieved with a good quality
PV ribbon that has been properly installed
into the solar panel. Good quality PV
ribbon can also improve panel production
efficiency and reduces associated scrap
rates.
To ensure high productivity of the
stringing process a good quality, straight,