TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Method: In electrically interconnecting solar cells in solar module, surfaces of the wires are coated with a low temperature solder paste that melts at about 150 degrees C or less and that forms an electrical interconnection as a result of the temperature and pressure conditions resulting from the laminating step. The low temperature solder paste comprises bismuth solder paste. Surfaces of the wires are coated with a B stage conductive adhesive that sets at temperatures of about 150 degrees C or less. The solar cells are interconnected when the B stage conductive adhesive cures at temperature and pressure conditions resulting from the laminating step. Conductive adhesive comprises a silver filled polymer that melts at less than 150 degrees C. The wires comprises a light-capturing ribbon that causes incident light to be reflected off the ribbon and internally reflected within the photovoltaic module such that the light reflected off the ribbon is incident on the solar cells. The lower preform comprises a co-polymer of ethylene and either acrylic acid neutralized with a cation or methacryclic acid neutralized with a cation. Lower perform comprises a blend of an ionomer and another polymer. Another polymer comprises nylon. Lower preform is adapted for use in a hybrid photovoltaics and thermal generation (PVT) module, the lower preform comprising a three-layer laminate structure with an ionomer forming the inner surface of the preform, a polymer to be bonded to a thermal portion of the hybrid PVT module, and a barrier layer between the ionomer and the polymer. The barrier layer comprises a thin aluminum foil layer. Each of the solar cells includes a conductive structure forming the contact areas for the wires on the upper preform. The conductive structure comprises thin fingers or a spider-shaped conductive structure. Each of the solar cells includes busbars forming the contact areas on the solar cells for the wires on the upper preform. Laminating step causes the upper and lower preforms to be heated to temperature less than 150 degrees C and at an applied pressure of approximately 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). The method further comprises incorporating wires used for connecting solar cell strings into the preforms; and incorporating one or more bypass diodes into the wires used for connecting solar cell strings.