SPI 2013: 3M backside busbar tape reduces silver paste requirements

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

At Solar Power International 2013, 3M Renewable Energy is debuting its latest backside busbar tape, ‘4706’ which allows manufacturers to eliminate silver-based backside busbars, enabling cost savings and protecting against the volatility of silver prices.

In addition the 4706 backside busbar tape is claimed to have the potential to improve absolute efficiency by approximately 0.2%.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The tape can be bonded to aluminium pastes, commonly used on the back surface of crystalline solar cells, and provides reliable, low-resistance electrical contact comparable to backside silver busbars, providing potential to improve absolute efficiency by approximately 0.2%, according to the company.

The tape is a copper foil tape coated with a high-performance heat-curable adhesive on one side, with preliminary tests demonstrating a stable long-term electrical performance in damp heat and thermal cycling.

3M can be found at booth #426 at SPI. 

Read Next

July 14, 2025
Analyst Wood Mackenzie has forecast that solar PV and wind installations in the US will be 100GW lower than expected between 2025 and 2030 with the removal of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives.
July 11, 2025
Sabanci Renewables, the North American subsidiary of Turkish conglomerate Sabanci Holdings, is building a 156MWdc solar project in McLennan County, Texas.
July 11, 2025
Renewable electricity generation has grown more than twice as fast as total global electricity generation since 2012, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
July 11, 2025
Indian independent power producer (IPP) Juniper Green Energy has commissioned an additional 71MWp at Chapalgaon Solar Project in Solapur, Maharashtra.
July 11, 2025
The Asia Pacific (APAC) region has accounted for 69% of the 589GW solar PV inverters shipped in 2024, according to a report from analyst Wood Mackenzie.
Premium
July 11, 2025
Analysis: A presidential executive order issued on Monday tightening up project start rules is causing concern among developers.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK