Thin Glass for PV Modules: New Coating Significantly Increases Strength

August 20, 2026

Glass is heavy. With densities of around 2,500 kg/m³, it has become a significant factor in many modern applications when it comes to weight—and thus, often, cost. However, many applications require thick glass to ensure sufficient mechanical stability. The cause of this insufficient stability is microcracks on the glass surface, which significantly impair overall stability. Without these defects, significantly thinner glass can be used for technical applications. And this is precisely where the development by Exxosqel and the Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics (CSP) comes in, which will be discussed at the Bavarian Glass Summit on July 13, 2026 (Bavarian Glass Summit 2026: Bavaria Innovative) and on glaswelt.de .

Together, they have developed a demonstrator for an exceptionally lightweight glass-glass PV module. It uses front and back glass panels, each only 1 mm thick. A specially developed reactive surface coating is designed to compensate for the mechanical disadvantages of thin glass and significantly increase resistance to stresses such as hail.
The coating specifically reacts with microcracks on the glass surface and stabilizes them. This significantly increases the strength of the glass while largely preserving its optical properties.
This technology is seen as having great potential for lighter and more resource-efficient solar modules, particularly for applications in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).
Further information can be found here: Special Coating Makes Thin Glass-on-Glass PV Module Hail-Resistant