In the field of solar panel packaging, are there other materials that can replace ETFE film materials?

In the field of solar panel encapsulation, while ETFE film is widely favored for its exceptional performance, there are indeed alternative materials available. Below are some potential substitutes and their characteristics:

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate):
Advantages:
PET is another commonly used encapsulation material, particularly for flexible solar panels. It offers good light transmittance and weather resistance, with potentially lower costs compared to ETFE.
Disadvantages:
PET has slightly lower light transmittance than ETFE and lacks self-cleaning properties.

EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer):
Application:
Primarily used as an encapsulant adhesive film (not as an outer layer) to bond solar cells, front covers, and backsheets.
Features:
EVA exhibits high light transmittance, UV resistance, and strong adhesion. However, it suffers from high water permeability and susceptibility to Potential Induced Degradation (PID).

POE (Polyolefin Elastomer) Encapsulant Film:
Advantages:
POE film offers superior water vapor barrier properties (8x lower permeability than EVA), enhanced weather resistance, and stronger anti-PID performance.
Disadvantages:
Higher cost, susceptibility to bubble formation during lamination, lower production yield, and reliance on imported materials.

EPE (EVA-POE-EVA) Composite Film:
Features:
This three-layer "EVA-POE-EVA" composite combines POE’s high water resistance and anti-PID performance with EVA’s high lamination yield for double-glass modules.
Applications:
Ideal for PERC bifacial double-glass, N-type bifacial double-glass, and other high-weathering-resistance PV modules.

Tedlar Composite Film (PVF-PET-PVF):
Application:
Widely used as a backsheet material for solar panels.
Features:
Provides excellent moisture resistance, acid resistance, and enhanced durability for overall module protection.

Conclusion
Although ETFE remains dominant in solar panel encapsulation, alternatives like PET, EVA, POE, EPE, and Tedlar composite films offer diverse options tailored to specific application requirements, cost considerations, and performance needs. Material selection ultimately depends on balancing these factors for optimal module efficiency and longevity.