Crystalline silicon module consists of individual PV cells connected together by soldering and encapsulated between a transparent front cover, usually glass and weatherproof backing material, usually plastic. You might find these chapters and articles relevant to this topic. Max Trommsdorff, ...
Crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules dominate the PV market with a 95% share . The cells are available in multicrystalline (multi-Si) and mono-crystalline (mono-Si) variants, with mono-Si as the majority with a 70% share of the total c-Si modules manufactured in 2019.
Present c-Si modules have nominal power up to 400 W p, average efficiency of 17% (maximum 22%), and energy payback time below 2 years. Figure 18.22. Cost structure of crystalline silicon PV module development. Mohammad Ziaur Rahman, in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014
PV technologies. The crystalline silicon systems are known as the first generation of PV technologies, having silicon as the primary material for producing cells. The cells are then combined to produce crystalline modules .
The cost distribution of a crystalline silicon PV module is clearly dominated by material costs, especially by the costs of the silicon wafer. Therefore, besides improved production technology, the efficiency of the cells and modules is the main leverage to bring down the costs even more.
Monocrystalline silicon represented 96% of global solar shipments in 2022, making it the most common absorber material in today’s solar modules. The remaining 4% consists of other materials, mostly cadmium telluride. Monocrystalline silicon PV cells can have energy conversion efficiencies higher than 27% in ideal laboratory conditions.