 A solar panel has an expect operational lifespan of 20 to 30 years. Its components must deliver exceptional performance over the long term.
Arkema has met this challenge with its Evatane® and Kynar® brands.
 Evatane®, the ideal encapsulating material
Arkema's Evatane® polymers are ethylene vinyl acetate resins (EVA) with a high vinyl acetate content. They are used in a wide range of applications, including glues, packaging films, resistant cables, and semiconductors. In a solar panel, EVAs ensure both the adhesion of the different layers (glass, silicon, back sheet) and the protection of the silicon and electrical circuits.
Evatane® polymers have characteristics like excellent transparency, high UV resistance, and good electrical insulation that make them ideal for encapsulating panels.
 "Evatane® polymers have been used for many years and have demonstrated their durability and stability over the long term. We continue to enhance them, our aim being to offer products that can be quickly and easily customized to meet the changing needs of the photovoltaic industry. In fact, each segment of the industry has its own "recipe" and uses our product in combination with other components," explains Martin Burki, Evatane® Product Manager .
 Kynar® film to protect photovoltaic cells
Kynar® PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) from Arkema is used to make films for the back sheets of panels. It ensures a long service life and increased photovoltaic cell output.
The main advantages of Kynar® are its ease of use, its resistance to humidity and temperature variations, and its enduring whiteness, which reflects the sunlight towards the silicon. "It’s a promising product". As Anthony Bonnet, a researcher at Arkema’s CERDATO research center points out, " 2008 will be a breakthrough year for Kynar® film."
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