NOVELTY - The photovoltaic device comprises multiple photovoltaic cells housed within an encapsulant forming a protective barrier for the photovoltaic cells, a switch operable to allow delivery of electricity from the device, and a unit that renders device inoperable upon tampering with the device and is housed within the encapsulant. The encapsulant comprises a barrier layer over front and back sides of the device. The render unit are located adjacent anode or cathode electrodes (17-2, 17-3) and located between a substrate (17-4) supporting the electrode and the encapsulant.    USE - The photovoltaic device is useful for remote areas or communities not served by a national grid system.    ADVANTAGE - The photovoltaic device is secure, and cannot easily be operated if stolen or if used in a micropayment scheme and can be easily modified so that the micropayment scheme can be circumvented.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The photovoltaic device comprises multiple photovoltaic cells housed within an encapsulant forming a protective barrier for the photovoltaic cells, a switch operable to allow delivery of electricity from the device, and a unit that renders device inoperable upon tampering with the device and is housed within the encapsulant. The encapsulant comprises a barrier layer over front and back sides of the device. The render unit are located adjacent anode or cathode electrodes (17-2, 17-3) and located between a substrate (17-4) supporting the electrode and the encapsulant. The switch is housed within the encapsulant and controlled by an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit and/or switch comprise an integral component of the device. The device further comprises a terminal for connection to a load. The render unit is positioned upstream or downstream of the terminal, located between individual cells and/or between the first and/or last cell and the terminal and located before or adjacent to a busbar that forms a connection between a photovoltaic module and the terminal to the load, and comprises a unit to short circuit one cell of the photovoltaic module, a unit to inhibit or interrupt a current flow of interconnected cells, a unit to partially or completely interfere with collection of solar energy, channels that are revealed upon tampering with the switch and/or the integrated circuit if present and a chemical switch. The unit to short circuit is connected in parallel to a bypass diode. The channels are formed within the encapsulant at a side facing the photovoltaic cells, formed within a substrate supporting the electrode upon which a layer of one photovoltaic cell is mounted and filled with materials reacting with components such as oxygen and moisture in air, and comprise air pockets. The chemical switch is adapted to remove or degrade an electrical interface between a stripe electrode and the busbar and instigated as a result of oxidation or water ingress after puncture of a barrier, and comprises a material that reacts with oxygen or moisture to generate an aggressive chemical attacking an electrode material that comprise white phosphorus. The render unit comprises a dry starch, gel, swellable polymer and mineral clay to electrically separate the electrode and the busbar by swell induced physical separation and a conductive liquid that makes a vital connection leaking away upon tampering with the switch and short circuiting one cell on tampering with the switch. A capillary force is used to induce the liquid to flow upon tampering. The render unit comprises a corrosive or aggressive liquid chemical, chemicals or etchants delivered to key interfaces by the capillary force. The liquid is stored in a reservoir and released upon tampering. The render unit comprises light activated short circuiting, light guiding features, a zinc oxide photosensitive diode switch and a FET. A transistor drain and a source are connected to the opposite electrodes of a solar cell. A gate is controlled by a tamper proof control box. The render unit comprises a switchable diode with terminals connected to the opposite electrodes of the solar cell and capable of switching from diode characteristics to highly conductive. The switchable diode is controlled by an electrical signal provided by the tamper proof control box. The render unit is based on organic, inorganic or metal thin films and incorporated by coating, printing or patterning techniques, and comprises a transparent layer of material that turns opaque upon tampering with the switch. The render unit comprises a liquid dye. The photovoltaic cells are an organic photovoltaic cell.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The diagram shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a photvoltaic device with channels.    Photoactive layer (17-1)    Electrodes (17-2, 17-3)    Polyethylene terephthalate substrate (17-4)    Barrier sheets (17-5)    Adhesive. (17-6)