Methods of manufacturing a photovoltaic module

A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising at least a first layer and a second layer affixed to each other by an encapsulant, the method comprising steps of:

• providing a lamination device;
• disposing said first layer in said lamination device,
• disposing upon said first layer an encapsulant material manufactured by the steps of:
• providing a base resin comprising a silane-modified polyolefin and having a melting point below 90° C., a complex viscosity of greater than 10000 Pa·s at 85° C., and greater than 6000 Pa·s at 100° C. before lamination, and a tan delta value less than 1.0 at 85° C. and less than 1.2 at 100° C. before lamination;
• forming a mixture of said base resin, pigment particles, and a first additive comprising a cross-linking catalyst, said cross-linking catalyst being present in a proportion of 0.01 to 20 parts per hundred of resin;
• and
• melting said mixture at a temperature between 90° C. and 190° C. and extruding said mixture to form said encapsulant material;
• disposing said second layer upon said encapsulant material;
• and
• laminating said first layer, said second layer, and said encapsulant material under application of heat and pressure, said heat being applied at a temperature between 60° C. and 125° C. so as to crosslink said base resin such that said encapsulant material exhibits a complex viscosity greater than 15000 Pa·s at 85° C. and greater than 10000 Pa·s at 100° C., and a tan delta value of less than 1.0 at 85° C. and of less than 1.2 at 100° C. after lamination.