Methods of manufacturing solar energy modules

1. A method of manufacturing a solar energy module, comprising the steps of:

providing one or more solar cells, each solar cell having a front side for receiving light and an opposite back side;

bonding an encapsulant material to the one or more solar cells to form an encapsulant coating covering the front side and the back side of each of the one or more solar cells;

providing a backskin layer formed from a cross-linked high density polyethylene (HDPE) and acid copolymer mixture formed into a sheet; and

bonding the backskin layer to the encapsulant material covering the back side of each of the one or more solar cells, wherein the backskin layer comprises a material that is different from the encapsulant material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein bonding the backskin layer comprises applying the backskin layer to the encapsulant coating and heating at least one of the backskin layer and the encapsulant coating to a temperature substantially above its melting point temperature, and applying pressure to laminate the backskin layer to the encapsulant coating.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching a solar thermal unit to a side of the backskin layer opposite to the one or more solar cells, said solar thermal unit being adapted to transfer heat from the one or more solar cells to a thermal transfer fluid flowing through the solar thermal unit.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein attaching a solar thermal unit comprises bonding one side of a layer of aluminum to the backskin and an opposite side of the layer of aluminum to the solar thermal unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the cross-linked HDPE and acid copolymer sheet has a thickness of about 10 to 40 mils.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching a front glass cover on the encapsulant material on the front side of the one or more solar cells, and wherein providing the backskin layer comprises adding additives or fillers to material forming the HDPE and acid copolymer sheet prior to cross-linking the sheet for reducing the thermal coefficient of expansion of the HDPE and acid copolymer sheet so that it is closer to that of the front glass cover.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the backskin layer comprises forming the backskin layer by irradiating a sheet of an HDPE-acid copolymer mixture with an electron beam to cross-link it.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the backskin layer comprises forming the backskin layer by adding vinyl silanes to the HDPE and acid copolymer material and moisture curing the resulting mixture to cross-link it.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the acid copolymer comprises a copolymer of either ethylene and acrylic acid or ethylene and methacryclic acid.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the mixture comprises about 10% to 80% acid copolymer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the backskin layer comprises adding one or more additives to the HDPE and acid copolymer mixture.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more additives comprise AlN, SiC, ZnO, BN, MgO, or Al 2 O 3 or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more additives comprise one or more mineral fillers selected from the group consisting of dolomite, conventional kaolin clays, silica, talc, wollastonite, calcium carbonate, mica, glass, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the one or more additives comprise nano particles.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the one or more additives comprise at least one color additive or pigment.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the color additive or pigment comprises up to 10% of TiO 2 to make the backskin material white or reflective.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the additive comprises up to 0.5% of a hindered amine light stabilizer.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the color additive or pigment comprises up to 5% carbon black to make the backskin material black.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the backskin layer comprises forming the backskin layer from a recycled source of HDPE.