Direct mounted photovoltaic device with improved adhesion and method thereof

A photovoltaic suitable for directly mounting on a structure comprising:

• an active portion including a photovoltaic cell assembly having a top surface portion that allows transmission of light energy to a photoactive portion of the photovoltaic device for conversion into electrical energy and a bottom surface having a bottom bonding zone;
• and
• an inactive portion immediately adjacent to and connected to the active portion, the inactive portion having a region for receiving a fastener to connect the device to the structure and having on a top surface, a top bonding zone;
• wherein one of the top and bottom bonding zones comprises a first bonding element and the other comprises a second bonding element, the second bonding element designed to interact with the first bonding element on a vertically overlapped adjacent photovoltaic device to bond the device to such adjacent device or to the structure;
• wherein the device has a thickness of more than 5 mm and less than 20 mm and exhibits a high stiffness of up to about 10,000 MPa, the second bonding element includes at least one recessed pocket for accepting at least a portion of the first bonding element, the first and second bonding elements comprises a hook and loop fastener assembly with an assembly thickness, and the hook and loop fastener assembly thickness is at least 90% disposed within the at least one recessed pocket.