TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The structural bonding material: comprises a silicone-based, an epoxy, acrylate and/or a polyurethane adhesive; has a pull-off strength of at least 2 MPa between the transparent front sealing sheet and the back sealing sheet; has a lap shear strength of at least 1 MPa between the transparent front sealing sheet and the back sealing sheet; has an elongation-at-break value of at least 200%; forms a continuous strip in the perimeter sealing area surrounding the interconnected photovoltaic cells; has a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of not greater than 102 g/m2/day; and is UV resistant, where an average thickness of the structural bonding material in the perimeter sealing area is 5-100 mils, and an average width of a strip formed by the structural bonding material in the perimeter sealing area is 0.1-2 inches. The photovoltaic module further comprises a edge seal disposed between the transparent front sealing sheet and the back sealing sheet in or next to the perimeter sealing area, where the edge seal comprises butyl-rubber and a desiccant, and is positioned further away from the interconnected photovoltaic cells than the structural bonding material. In the photovoltaic module: the transparent front sealing sheet comprises a light barrier positioned at least above the structural bonding material; a portion of the structural bonding material extends outside of the perimeter sealing area towards the interconnected photovoltaic cells and partially positioned in between the interconnected photovoltaic cells and the back sealing sheet; the transparent front sealing sheet comprises a glass sheet or a flexible sheet; at least a portion of a surface of the transparent front sealing sheet facing the structural bonding material is pretreated to improve adhesion of the transparent front sealing sheet to the structural bonding material; the back sealing sheet comprises a flexible sheet; the back sealing sheet is in direct contact with the interconnected photovoltaic cells; and the interconnected photovoltaic cells comprises copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) cells. Preferred Method: The method further comprises: curing the structural bonding material to form a structural bond between the first sheet and the second sheet; and prior to, during, or post assembling the stack, dispensing a sealing material onto the internal surface of the first sealing sheet in the sealing area to form an edge seal. In the method: dispensing the structural bonding material comprises applying a tape and/or dispensing a paste onto the internal surface of the first sealing sheet in the sealing area; curing the structural bonding material comprises at least one operation including heat curing, moisture curing or UV curing; and assembling the stack comprises laminating the stack prior to curing the structural bonding material. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.