IN Brief:
- AIKO’s back-contact modules received TÜV Rheinland anti-ignition hazard certification in November 2025.
- Testing identified significantly lower surface temperatures than conventional TOPCon modules under heat and shading conditions.
- The result adds hotspot behaviour to efficiency, degradation, fire classification, and system compatibility in module assessment.
AIKO’s all-back-contact photovoltaic modules received TÜV Rheinland’s PV Module Anti-Ignition Hazard certification in November 2025, placing hotspot performance and thermal behaviour under a more specific independent assessment.
Awarded during the Global Back Contact Technology Innovation Summit, the certification followed testing in which back-contact modules maintained significantly lower surface temperatures than conventional TOPCon products under high-temperature and shading conditions.
Photovoltaic hotspots develop when part of a module dissipates electrical power as heat instead of contributing normally to generation. Partial shading, microcracks, cell damage, contamination, mismatch, or interconnection faults can create localised reverse-bias conditions.
Where heating persists, encapsulants, backsheets, junction components, and cell interconnections can deteriorate more quickly. Output falls as damage develops, while severe faults can contribute to arcing, insulation failure, or ignition.
AIKO’s ABC architecture places electrical contacts on the rear of the cell, leaving the front surface free of conventional metal grid lines. Its mass-produced ABC INFINITE modules exceed 25% module efficiency, while the rear-contact and interconnection arrangement is designed to improve current collection and reduce thermal stress under abnormal operating conditions.
Anti-ignition certification does not replace correct design, installation, inspection, or maintenance. Module behaviour is one element within a photovoltaic system that also includes DC connectors, string cables, isolators, inverters, optimisers, junction boxes, protective devices, containment, mounting systems, and roof construction.
Module assessment extends beyond efficiency
Higher conversion efficiency can reduce the area, support structure, cabling, and installation work required for a given DC capacity. Those gains are valuable where roof space, land, labour, or grid capacity is restricted, but they provide an incomplete view of lifecycle performance.
Modules operate through dirt, edge shading, thermal cycling, moisture, structural movement, and mechanical loading. Procurement assessments increasingly need to consider degradation, potential-induced degradation, hail resistance, humidity, salt mist, ammonia exposure, fire classification, and hotspot behaviour alongside nameplate efficiency.
Back-contact products are attracting wider commercial interest because they combine high conversion efficiency with an unobstructed front surface. Their manufacturing process, however, places different demands on rear metallisation, conductive pathways, cell handling, encapsulation, and quality control.
Consistent production is therefore essential if laboratory and certification results are to carry through high-volume manufacturing. Supplementary certificates can provide useful evidence, although buyers must distinguish between standard compliance, manufacturer testing, third-party assessment, and long-term field data.
Installation quality can still override the advantages of a robust module. Poorly mated connectors, incompatible connector types, damaged cables, inadequate strain relief, loose terminations, water ingress, and unsuitable DC isolation remain established causes of heating and failure elsewhere in an array.
Thermal imaging, insulation-resistance testing, string-current comparison, visual inspection, and monitoring alarms should continue throughout operation. The value of those measures depends on clear responsibility for reviewing results and investigating anomalies rather than repeatedly resetting alarms.
Shading analysis also remains necessary because improved hotspot behaviour cannot recover energy that never reaches the cells. Array layouts should account for parapets, vents, trees, plant, neighbouring structures, seasonal shadow movement, and temporary obstructions.
Bypass-diode design and string configuration influence how local shading affects voltage, current, and heat. Software modelling should therefore be supported by an accurate site survey and, where geometry is complex, inspection under representative seasonal conditions.
The expansion of integrated solar and storage product platforms is also widening the scope of system assessment. As manufacturers supply modules, batteries, inverters, controls, and energy-management equipment, evidence on interoperability and complete-system safety becomes as important as the performance of individual products.
Fire-risk assessment varies considerably by site. Ground-mounted arrays usually provide more separation and external access than rooftop installations above occupied premises, combustible materials, or critical industrial operations.
Commercial roofs may contain insulation and membranes whose fire behaviour must be considered alongside mounting, cable routing, compartmentation, firefighting access, and emergency isolation. Module certification should therefore sit within the site’s wider electrical and building fire strategy.
The TÜV Rheinland assessment adds specific evidence on AIKO’s back-contact products under defined anti-ignition tests. Final selection still requires verified system compatibility, competent installation, suitable fire planning, clear warranty terms, and an inspection regime capable of identifying faults throughout the complete DC installation.
Technical details on AIKO’s ABC module range are available from AIKO.
