TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The solar cells are either: wafer-based solar cells comprising one or both of monocrystalline silicon, multi-crystalline silicone; or thin film solar cells comprising at least one material comprising amorphous silicon, microcrystalline silicon, cadmium telluride, copper indium selenide, copper indium/gallium diselenide, light absorbing dyes or organic semiconductors, where when the solar cells are thin film solar cells, the solar cell assembly further comprises a substrate or superstrate upon which the thin film solar cells are deposited. In the solar cell module, 5-90 (preferably 10-60)% of a total content of the alpha , beta -ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid present in the precursor acid copolymer have been neutralized. The first encapsulant layer has: an average thickness of 1-120 mils (0.025-3 mm); and a first side that is laminated directly to the solar cell assembly and a second side that is laminated directly to the first outer protective layer. The thin glass sheet has a thickness of 0.1-0.8 mm. The solar cell module further comprises: (d) a second encapsulant layer having two sides and laminated to the side of the solar cell assembly that is opposite from the side to which the first encapsulant layer is laminated, and (e) a second outer protective layer that is laminated to the side of the second encapsulant layer that is opposite from the side to which the solar cell assembly is laminated, as laminated layers; and at least one mounting device (46), where the mounting device is positioned outside the peripheral edges of the solar cell assembly and has a first portion that is laminated between the first and second encapsulant layers (42, 44) and a second portion that is protruding outward from peripheral edges of the solar cell module. The second encapsulant layer comprises: at least one polymeric material comprising copolymers of an alpha -olefin and an alpha , beta -ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, ionomers, poly(ethylene vinyl acetates), poly(vinyl acetals), polyurethanes, PVCs, polyethylenes, polyolefin block copolymer elastomers, copolymers of an alpha -olefin and an alpha , beta -ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, silicone elastomers, or epoxy resins; and a second ionomer composition, where the first and second ionomer composition are the same or different. The solar cell module comprises either: two mounting devices, where the mounting devices are positioned on opposite peripheral edges of the solar cell module; or four mounting devices, where two of the mounting devices are positioned on a single edge of the solar cell module, and two of the mounting devices are positioned on the opposite peripheral edge of the solar cell module; or four mounting devices, where each of the mounting devices is positioned on a different peripheral edge of the solar cell module. The second outer protective layer comprises: at least one material comprising: glass sheets; polymeric sheets comprising at least one polymer comprising polycarbonates, acrylics, polyacrylates, cyclic polyolefins, polystyrenes, polyamides, polyesters or fluoropolymers; and polymeric films comprising at least one polymer comprising polyesters, polycarbonates, polyolefins, norbornene polymers, polystyrenes, styrene-acrylate copolymers, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, polysulfones, nylons, polyurethanes, acrylics, cellulose acetates, cellophanes, PVCs or fluoropolymers; and a second thin glass sheet having a thickness of less than 2 mm preferably less than or equal to 1.5 mm. The solar cell assembly has a smaller lateral area than the encapsulant layers and outer protective layers, where the first and second encapsulant layers are bonded together in areas that are outside of peripheral edges of the solar cell assembly. The mounting device further comprises a third portion that forms a cover over the portion of the peripheral edge from which it protrudes. The second portion of the mounting device comprises at least one anchoring means (47). The mounting device is made of metal or plastic. The mounting device comprises a metal comprising steel, aluminum, titanium, brass, lead, chrome, copper or their alloys.