TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Parameters: The rigid thermoplastic polyurethane has one or more of the following properties: (i) a Vicat softening point, as measured by ISO306/A50, of at least 140 degrees C; (ii) a partial discharge, as measured by IEC 60664-1, of greater than 1000 volts; (iii) a Shore D hardness of at least 70. The non-rigid thermoplastic polyurethane of the photovoltaic encapsulant has one or more of the following properties: (i) a haze value, as measured by ASTM D1003 of less than 0.5%; (ii) a transmission value, as measured by ASTM D1003 of at least 80%; (iii) a yellowness index, as measured by ASTM D1925, or less than 1; and (iv) a refractive index, as measured by ASTM D542-95, from 1.4 to 1.6. Preferred Components: The rigid thermoplastic polyurethane comprises a rigid aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane composition prepared from: (a) one or more aliphatic polyisocyanates; and (b) one or more cyclic aliphatic diol chain extenders; and optionally (c) one or more cyclic aliphatic polyols. The rigid thermoplastic polyurethane comprises a rigid aromatic thermoplastic polyurethane composition prepared from: (a) one or more aromatic polyisocyanates; and (b) one or more cyclic aliphatic and/or aromatic diol chain extenders; and optionally (c) one or more cyclic aliphatic and/or aromatic polyols. Rigid thermoplastic polyurethane is prepared from: (a) one or more aromatic polyisocyanates comprising methylene diphenyl diisocyanate; and (b) one or more cyclic diol chain extenders having aliphatic hydroxyl groups comprising 1,4- cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM), 2,2-bis(4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)phenyl)propane (HEPP) and hydroxyethyl resorcinol (HER), or its combination. It contains at least one additive, selected from white pigments, black pigments, UV stabilizers, UV absorbers, antioxidants, lubricity agents, heat stabilizers, hydrolysis stabilizers, cross-linking activators, flame retardants, layered silicates, fillers, colorants, reinforcing agents, adhesion mediators, impact strength modifiers, and antimicrobials. It contains a white pigment comprising titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, or a black pigment comprising carbon black. The photovoltaic encapsulant comprises at least one non-rigid thermoplastic polyurethane made by reacting a polyisocyanate with at least one diol chain extender, and one or more hydroxyl terminated polyether intermediates. Preferred Composition: The mole ratio of isocyanate functional groups to hydroxyl functional groups in the rigid thermoplastic polyurethane is between 0.95 and 1.07. Preferred Process: The backsheet is produced from at least one rigid thermoplastic polyurethane made by reacting a polyisocyanate with at least one diol chain extender, and optionally one or more hydroxyl terminated intermediates. The backsheet is produced from one or more ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU), polyvinyl fluoride polymers (PVF), polyvinylidene fluoride polymers (PVDF), polyethylene terephthalate polymers (PET), ethylene propylene diene monomer-based polymers (EPDM), epoxy resins with dicyandiamide curing agents, polyimides, polyesters, hybrid epoxy polyesters, cyanate esters, acrylics, or its combinations. Preferred Device: The photovoltaic module comprises: (a) the backsheet; (b) an adhesive layer and/or backside pottant layer and/or first encapsulant layer; (c) a least one solar cell; (d) a transparent pottant layer and/or an adhesive layer and/or second encapsulant layer; and (e) a transparent superstrate layer. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.