For our 2019 Module Buyer’s Guide (included in the Jan/Feb issue of Solar Builder magazine) we rounded up profiles on the newest modules on the market and also surveyed solar module manufacturers on the trends they are seeing and some of the new technology to watch. The seven insights are here, and you can check out the new products below.
To pack as much power as possible in order to dramatically reduce energy costs, Mission Solar developed the MSE PERC 60 module. The MSE PERC 60 features a compact 60-cell design that is smaller while packing 310 W of power. This module is best suited for residential and commercial projects. Warranty: 25-year performance and 12-year workmanship. More Mission Solar news here.
CertainTeed says it expects to launch half-cut cells in Q2 2019. The new module will consist of standard PERC mono cells, cut in half, connected in series and parallel to achieve similar voltage and current characteristics as standard 60-cell modules at the module level. Warranty: 25-year linear power output, and a 25-year workmanship warranty when installed by certified contractors. More CertainTeed news here.
Hanwha’s new Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G6 module will be assembled in the U.S. at Hanwha Q CELLS’ new Dalton, Ga., module facility — the largest module manufacturing facility in North America — slated for completion in January. The 6×20 monocrystalline Q.ANTUM half-cell design allows for higher yield per surface area and higher power classes. The Q.PEAK DUO is ideal for residential applications. Warranty: 12-year product, 12-year linear performance. More Hanwha Q Cells news here.
The combination of elements in LONGi’s Hi-MO — a half-cut, p-type, monocrystalline PERC, bifacial module — is compelling. LONGi says the bifaciality results in a 10 to 25 percent higher yield at a cost similar to a monofacial PERC module. The bifaciality factor, which is the ratio of efficiency on the rear side as compared to the front, is upward of 75 percent. These are ideally suited for utility power plants and commercial rooftop applications and areas with a greater surface albedo. Warranty: 30-year for extra linear power output, 10-year for materials and processing. More LONGi news here.
Trina Solar’s DuoMax Twin is its half-cut, bifacial mono PERC offering. It uses heat strengthened glass in lieu of the polymer backsheet used in other modules. The dual-glass construction provides better protection for the cells and improves the long-term reliability and durability of the module. Also, the Duomax Twin’s junction box avoids shading on the backside of the panel. Trina has extended the power warranty to 30 years. Warranty: 10-year product and workmanship, 30-year linear. More Trina Solar news here.
Silfab’s SLA-MWT 320 W (Metal Wrap Through) technology removes all stringing and bussing from the front side of the module by integrating a conductive metallic layer to the backsheet for the purposes of conveying current to the junction box. This reduces both resistance and cell shading which ultimately yields higher module efficiency. By removing the conventional stringing process from the module production line, operational efficiencies can be recognized. Ultra-high efficiency modules are optimized for both residential and commercial projects where maximum power density is preferred. Warranty: 25-year product, 30-year performance. More Silfab Solar news here.
The Panasonic N340 HIT + Series with its heterojunction technology and enhanced 40-mm frame offers customers increased module efficiency, performance and longevity while maximizing available roof space. The new 40-mm frame increases durability and strength, being able to handle loads of up to 5,400 Pa. Also, the water drainage system gives rain water and snow melt a place to go, reducing water stains and soiling. Warranty: 25-year workmanship and linear power output. More Panasonic news here.
The REC N-Peak is the world’s first solar panel combining n-type mono half-cut cells with a twin-panel design, featuring zero LID, REC’s best warranty and super-strong frame design for loads of up to 7,000 Pa. Combined with n-type, REC’s PERT technology completely passivates the rear of the cell for increased electron capture and high and stabilized efficiency. The N-Peak is especially suited where space is limited, such as residential and commercial rooftop installations. Warranty: 12-year product, 25-year linear power output.
LG’s “V5” series of modules is slated to enter the market in Q2 with some incremental product improvements, in addition to an enhanced warranty, which has one of the lowest degradation rates, and a 25-year product and performance guarantee. NeON2 “CELLO” cells, which have Cell connection with Electrically Low Loss and Optical Absorption Enhancement, create greater yield and less reflection through increased usable surface area on the front of the cell and greater reliability if the cells were to become micro-cracked. Warranty: 25-year linear, extended to 89.6 percent performance. More LG news here.
Solaria is unique in that it built what it considers to be the perfect residential module, the PowerXT, and offers it as is or as an inverter-integrated AC version. Solaria uses proprietary manufacturing to singulate its mono PERC cells into uniform strips that are then re-assembled into high-density PowerXT cells. The PowerXT comes in a pure black appearance and uses proprietary technology to eliminate bus bars, so there’s no visible circuitry and fewer failure points. Warranty: 25-year linear power output and workmanship. More Solaria news here.
— Solar Builder magazine