Bifacial solar panels enter the commercial shopping basket. Trina bifacial solar panels * KYOKUSHO.COM

Bifacial solar panels enter the commercial shopping basket

One of the two largest managers of Australian retail property, Vicinity Centres, has invested 73 million in a solar program set to provide 31 MW of clean energy to 22 shopping centres and their retailers by end 2019. An early-stage trial of Trina bifacial panels will see Vicinity increase its solar yield mid-rollout.

Bifacial solar modules are expected to become increasingly popular.

Energy is the second-largest operating cost — after employees — of Vicinity Centres which has 26 billion in retail assets under management across 66 shopping centres in Australia. In December it energised its first bifacial panels on Kurralta Central Shopping Centre, to squeeze greater yields from its roof space, as part of a comprehensive plan to buffer the group against volatile energy prices. Preliminary results have spurred the company to expand its trial of bifacials across an entire carpark at Ellenbrook Central Shopping Centre in WA and integrated into other shopping-centre PV systems as appropriate.

Increased solar-panel output from the trial on Kurralta ranged from 6-8% to 16-18% depending on a variety of roof-surface coatings applied by Vicinity to maximise reflection onto the back of the panels. “It’s early days,” says Renae Sambrooks, General Manager of Energy and Commercial Management for Vicinity, “but results from Kurralta made us feel confident enough to install bifacials in three more centres.

“Over the next few months results of those trials will help us make decisions around our Stage 3 solar program,” she says.

Sambrooks is responsible for the development and delivery of Vicinity’s Integrated Energy Strategy and seeks to embed innovation and a future FOCUS in every stage of the company’s ambitious plans. “As of today,” she told pv magazine on Friday, “we’ve produced 2.5MWh of clean energy from 13MW of installed capacity and we’re in the process of constructing the next 18 MW, which will be completed by the end of 2019.”

In late January this year, Forbes magazine reported, “So far the uptake of bifacial technology has been inhibited by the difficulty in predicting performance with a level of certainty.” It identified challenges to bifacials achieving greater market share (from 5 % share in 2015, they are predicted to achieve 40% by 2025) as including the need for more field testing.

Sambrooks’ testing program is comprehensive and will substantially contribute to the knowledge bank of bifacial benefits and limitations. Together with partners at Trina Solar Sambrooks’ team analysed studies on the advantages of bifacial panels in the market and concluded that they had been “trialled in a test-bed environment” and mounted in ideal conditions. “Mounting them 1.5 metres off the ground doesn’t work for a shopping centre roof, so our trial is about testing in live commercial conditions and collecting scientific data to calculate the commercial return.”

Says Govind Kant, Country Head of Trina operations across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific, “Globally, I’ve not seen any other real-estate investment trust invest in solar in such a big and innovative way.” Trina switched out an entire production line to deliver on Sambrooks’ decision to install bifacial technology ahead of the pack.

Arrays of variation

At Kurralta, Vicinity set up four different arrays of Trina Duomax Twin PERC modules on tilt legs to maximise the advantage of reflected light hitting the back of the panel. Under each array the roof “treatment” is different, says Sambrooks. “On one of them we just washed the roof; on another we applied normal white paint, and then we have two different solar-cool paints under the last two.” Every bifacial array has its neighbouring standard flat-mounted single-sided array, and “optimisers collect panel-level data” for output comparison.

The top yield of 16-18% gain in output at Kurralta is probably conservative says Sambrooks, who explains that “the northwest-oriented arrays are designed to ensure they’re matched exactly to Kurralta’s shopping centre demand profile because we’re trying to reduce the spill and export to the network.”

In March, Vicinity energised another rooftop installation including trial arrays of bifacial panels, at Colonnades Shopping Centre, also in South Australia. Here, the system has a westerly orientation and is expected to produce a higher efficiency output because it has been tailored to Colonnades’ demand profile.

At Ellenbrook Central Shopping Centre in Western Australia, Vicinity will slightly increase the tilt of the 1 MW of bifacial modules it’s installing across a carpark roof, to allow more reflective energy to hit the back of the module.

“What I’m really interested in with the rest of the installations is having solid results for different parts of the country,” says Sambrooks.

Where extra expense makes sense

She adds that although bifacial panels are more expensive than conventional panels, and returns on investment may vary from location to location, “I can say that from now we are installing more bifacial panels; this is the future for us because we have finite roof space so we’re always looking for opportunities to work our asset harder.”

Her eye on the future includes recognition that as Australia moves towards a distributed-energy system, costs of energy in solar shoulder periods — before sunrise and after sunset — are likely to become more expensive. She says, “Bifacial panels offer a way to extend the generation pattern as the sun rises and sets.”

Battery storage will of course also change the game, and Sambrooks and her team didn’t wait for commercial viability to dawn before ordering Australia’s first large-scale storage battery for a retail environment. The 548 kW Sungrow-Samsung model is installed at Castle Plaza in South Australia, where Vicinity has also mounted 2 MW of solar on the rooftops, upgraded the behind-the-metre system and integrated all components into the building management system. The storage has primarily been used for peak load shaving and shifting, and system firming.

Although the battery won’t pay for itself for another 12 to 15 years, Sambrook says the experience her team has gained by testing it is invaluable: “We’ve learned a lot about what we can do with the next couple of batteries we’re putting in — we’ve come a lot further.”

An embedded culture of innovation

Under Sambrooks’ direction, the Vicinity Centres Integrated Energy Strategy never stops. The group is also trialling the potential of Trina Solar’s half-cell (continues to deliver output when partly shaded) and double-glass (claimed to offer up to 21% higher output over the life of the system) technologies; ClearVue ’s transparent solar-generating glass; and blockchain for distributing energy to neighbouring communities, among other initiatives.

Some 70% of Australians live within 30 minutes of a Vicinity shopping centre, but Vicinity’s vision for mixed-use residential, retail and living precincts will bring people closer into the Vicinity community. Clean, cheaper-energy advantages are planned as part of the residential-tenant offering.

Retailers in solar-enabled Vicinity properties already benefit from between 5% and 10% savings on the market electricity rate, a discount which still allows the retail giant to offset the upfront cost of its energy programs and continue to invest.

Sambrooks says the company’s return on its current solar program is around 12% IRR, “which our business is quite happy with”.

As her team prepares to incorporate its learnings into Stage 3 of its solar program — to be announced at the end of this year — Sambrook says that formulating Vicinity’s Integrated Energy Strategy in 2017 was vital: “Our vision was to create intelligent energy destinations. We’re not just whacking solar panels on roofs. It’s a long-term investment and we’re always thinking how we can sweat the solar installations and all our other energy initiatives to make a return.”

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Natalie Filatoff

Natalie Filatoff has been a journalist and editor for more than 30 years, working successively in the areas of computing, the arts, popular culture and health. Over the past five years she has written primarily about science, technology and renewable energy.

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Trina Solar Panels Overview

Trina Solar is one of the largest vertically integrated solar panel manufacturers in the world and is known to produce affordable and reliable solar panels for a wide range of different applications. Over the last few years, Trina solar has become one of the leaders in innovation which is highlighted by the new Vertex range of panels that are packed with the latest solar cell technology and have pushed the efficiency close to the level of the premium manufacturers.

Trina Solar Panels Quick Summary

Power ratings (Watts): 370W. 670W
Panel Efficiency %: High. 19.8%. 21.9%
Cell technology: P-type and N-type TOPCon
Price bracket: Low-med
Most popular panel: Vertex S 415W
Product Warranty: Very good. 12 to 30 years
Service and support: Very good 4/5
Overall: Recommended ☆☆☆☆☆

Company History

As one of the top five solar panel suppliers in the world, Trina Solar has a solid reputation and vast global distribution network across 30 countries. Founded in 1997, Trina is a fully vertically integrated company and one of the oldest Chinese solar panel manufacturers. Over the last few decades, Trina’s strong FOCUS on research and development has led to some great achievements, including 18 solar PV world records in cell and panel efficiency.

Trina Solar is ranked as one of the top Tier 1 solar panel manufacturers by Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Although, it should be noted that the Tier 1 ranking is more a measure of a company’s financial stability, which is very important for large utility-scale installations requiring long term project viability.

Like many large Chinese manufacturers, Trina Solar focuses on performance and value for money. Trina does not generally compete in the more expensive, premium end of the market with Sunpower (USA) and REC (Singapore). However, Trina does offer some very high-performance products, including the Vertex series featuring N-type TOPCon cells which have boosted power ratings well over 600 watts making them some of the most powerful solar panels in the world. The new Vertex S series panels are also pushing close to 22% efficiency, bringing them on par with many premium brands.

See how Trina solar panels compare to other popular panels in our complete Solar panel and PV technology review.

Variety of Solar Panels

Trina solar manufacture a large range of solar panels for residential, commercial and utility-scale installations, incorporating many of the latest cell technologies including multi-busbar PERC cells, large 210mm third-cut cells, and more recently the high-density panel format with N-type TOPCon monocrystalline cells.

The new Vertex range is the most popular residential panel in the Trina line-up. The older, more cost-effective Honey series is still available in sizes up to 370W. For larger commercial and utility-scale installations, Trina Solar offers high voltage (1500V) larger format 72 or 144 half-cut cell panels in the TallMax and DuoMax bifacial range, with sizes now exceeding 600W. Trina also produces specialised dual glass and advanced bifacial options with 30-year performance warranties.

The Vertex series feature Monocrystalline PERC cells with high-density, multi-busbar (MBB) interconnections to achieve efficiencies up to 21.3%. notably, they are the first panels built on the new larger format 210mm cell size using the unique 1/3 cut cells (as opposed to the standard half-cut cells). The high-power vertex panels are much larger, coming in at 2.1.2.3m high and 1.10-1.35m wide, significantly larger than the older standard commercial size (2m x 1m) panels and designed for use on utility-scale solar farms.

Vertex S 405W. 415W panels

Trina Solar recently announced the new Vertex S range of panels, with the S referring to the smaller size. Unlike the much larger Vertex panels, the lighter, more compact Vertex S panels are designed for residential and commercial rooftops. The high-powered 380W to 405W panels utilise the same mono-PERC, MBB, high-density panel format to achieve an impressive maximum efficiency of 21.1% and peak power rating of 405W.

Download the full Trina Solar Vertex S specifications datasheet

Vertex S 425W Panels

The latest panel in the Trina lineup is the new Vertex S which is by far the most advanced and most efficient panel produced by the company. The panels feature a maximum power rating of 425W and a maximum efficiency of 21.9%, which is on par with some of the most efficient solar panels available. To achieve such high power and efficiency in a compact-sized panel, Trina used their latest N-Type TOPCon cell technology (named PACO) along with high-density cells and multi-busbars. Surprisingly, Trina packaged the Vertex S panels in a new dual-glass design to increase lifespan.

The Vertex S is also the first panel from Trina Solar to be backed by a 25-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty, thanks to the lower degradation rate of the high-purity N-type cell substrate. The first-year degradation is 1%, followed by a minimal 0.4% degradation every other year until year 30. This guarantees at least 87.4% power output after 30 years of use.

Trina Honey

Until recently, the most popular panels from Trina Solar were the Honey range of panels which offered a good combination of quality, performance and value for money. The latest Honey M range, built on monocrystalline cells, have increased efficiency over the previous range by using new half-cut PERC cells incorporating 9 busbars (MBB). The new Honey M range is available in sizes from 330W up to 380W, with the Honey M black (shown opposite) using a black backsheet for a sleek all-black look.

Efficiency has been boosted up to 20.7% on the latest 370W panel, using the latest large format mono PERC, MBB cells.

Vertex high-power 600W panels

Over the last few years, there has been a global race to develop the most powerful solar panels, with Trina Solar leading the charge. The first of the new generation Vertex panels from Trina Solar was showcased early in 2020 and achieved an impressive 515.8W based on an independent test evaluation from TUV Rheinland. This breakthrough was made after Trina began manufacturing the new Vertex panels on a small-scale pilot line. A few months later, at the SNEC PV Power Expo in China, Trina showcased an incredible 660W Vertex panel. Recently in March 2021, Trina launched the 670W Vertex panel with an impressive 21.6% efficiency making it one of the most efficient panels available for large utility-scale applications.

Download the full Trina Solar Vertex specifications datasheet.

Advanced Solar Cell Technology

Trina’s product roadmap paves the way for a number of new high-efficiency cell technologies, including a unique N-type i-TOPCon cell, multi-busbars or MBB cells, and advanced bifacial cells.

The FOCUS on developing high-efficiency N-type cells is becoming more common among the top Chinese manufacturers, although Trina is at the forefront of this technology. Similar N-type panels have been available from premium manufacturers such as LG Sunpower for a long time, although at a premium price. As Trina and other manufacturers increase production volume and investment in N-type cell technology, this will help drive down the price of these high-performance cells and panels.

Multi-Busbars. MBB

Trina were one for the first Chinese manufacturer’s to offer multi-busbar technology or MBB on the full range of new modules.

The reason for the transition to MBB is rather simple, to increase efficiency and reliability. One problem with the traditional flat ribbon busbars on the front of the cell is that they partially shade the cell, which reduces efficiency and performance. MBB technology is way to increase performance and efficiency by reducing the effects of shading from traditional ribbon busbars. Further benefits include, reduced cell temperature and in turn, reduced risk of hot spot formation in the rare event of a cell fracture.

MBB technology incorporates multiple small round wire busbars and is similar to the premium LG Neon 2 panels which have been available for several years. Trina is now bringing this high-efficiency innovation to the masses through high volume production and further cost reductions.

Bifacial Solar panels

Bifacial solar panels have been available for many years but are only now becoming popular as the cost to manufacture the high-performance PERC monocrystalline cells continues to decrease. Bifacial cells absorb light from both sides of the panel and in the right location and conditions can produce up to 30% more energy than traditional monofacial panels. Trina Solar has been at the forefront of bifacial cell technology and the new DuoMax Twin panels use a combination of PERC, half-cut, MBB, bifacial cells housed in a dual-glass panel. Bifacial panels perform best mounted on single-axis tracking systems mounted over light coloured surfaces such as sand or even snow.

Read more about the latest solar cell innovations including MBB, PERC and bifacial panels in the complete Solar Module Technology Review.

Quality and Performance

One of the world’s leading independent solar module testing and performance services PVEL (DNV-GL), a German-based testing facility, produce the annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard Report. Over the last six years, various Trina solar panels have consistently scored as a ‘Top performer’ among 20 of the world’s leading solar brands tested. A top performer does not mean they are ranked as number 1 but among the highest performing modules in the group with no severe degradation or failures.

PVEL is one of the world’s most reputable, independent solar PV testing organisations, thus the results provide a high level of confidence in the long term performance and reliability of Trina Solar modules for both large and small scale installations.

Quality Control

Along with many other large manufacturers, Trina solar did have some quality issues over the years which were primarily the result of back-sheet degradation and failure leading to water ingress or PID issues. Fortunately, this was mainly limited to panels sold between 2011 and 2014 and related to an alternative back-sheet or EVA material being used during manufacture. Recent panels do not have any recorded issues, but this does not mean there will not be faults in the future. As with all large-volume manufacturers, there is bound to be an occasional batch or a small number of panels with issues.

Often, when it comes to quality issues, the big difference is how a manufacturer handles these problems and supports the installers and customers. As we explain in the next section, this is one area where Trina has really improved.

Warranty and Service

Trina solar offer a standard 12-year manufacturer’s product warranty which guards against defects for the first 12 years, plus a 25-year performance warranty to guarantee a minimum 84% power output rating after 25 years of use. The Vertex and Vertex S panels have a longer 15-year product warranty period with options to extend up to 25 years, while the Vertex S panels are backed by an impressive 25-year product warranty and 30-year performance warranty. Trina Solar has many support/service centres across the globe with the Australian service office based in Sydney.

Improved warranty support

Things have improved significantly since our first Trina solar review in 2018, with a much higher level of service and support in the event of a warranty claim or panel failure. Based on our previous Australian solar installer survey, Trina’s service and support were average in case of a quality issue or claim, with mixed feedback of positive and negative responses over the years. However, the latest feedback from solar professionals has elevated Trina to one of the top performers in supporting warranty claims, with a streamlined process and vastly improved customer service. See the Trina website for warranty claims.

Sustainability awards

Like many of the more prominent manufacturers, Trina Solar has begun focusing more on its supply chain to reduce waste and emissions through more efficient manufacturing processes and greater corporate responsibility. The well-known SVTC scorecard gives Trina Solar an impressive 99 out of 100. This includes improved working conditions and “Takes responsibility for the environmental and health impacts of its products throughout their lifecycles, including adherence to a mandatory policy for responsible recycling.” Additionally, Trina Solar was recently awarded the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) certificate for its 210mm Vertex modules by TÜV Rheinland. LCA follows the requirements of ISO 14040/ISO 14044 to conduct stringent tests of life-cycle carbon emissions, and the Trina Vertex series showed outstanding results for their low carbon emissions.

In January 2021 Trina Solar also received a dual “Environmental Product Declaration” (EPD) certification from the global independent safety science certification institute. The EPD certification is obtained for sustainable manufacture through tracking the environmental impact, raw materials, manufacturing, processing, transportation, and recycling.

Summary

Trina Solar is considered among the best value manufacturers offering affordable and reliable solar panels. This reputation has been reinforced by improved customer service over recent years and huge advancements in solar cell technology with increased efficiency resulting in higher power ratings.

With the new Vertex range of high-performance panels, Trina Solar has become one of the industry leaders in PV cell innovation and helped push the development of high-efficiency cell technology while driving down costs. Additionally, being one of the top 5 manufacturers globally and showing very good results in the PVEL independent testing program provides extra confidence Trina panels will perform well for many years. Based on Trina Solar’s long history, reputation, and Tier 1 rating under the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) ranking system, you could almost guarantee Trina will be around for a long time to support quality or performance issues should they occur well into the future.

The majority of Trina Solar Panels are backed by a standard 12-year product warranty and 25-year performance warranty, with a longer 15-year product and 30-year performance warranty offered on the new generation bifacial and Vertex panels. The new Vertex S (plus) panels are the first from Trina Solar to be supported by a 25-year product and performance warranty.

How good are Trina solar panels?

Trina Solar is one of the largest vertically integrated solar panel manufacturers in the world. It is well known for its ability to produce high-quality solar products at reasonable costs. With the use of cutting-edge solar cell technology, Trina Solar’s new Vertex panels have pushed efficiency near to that of premium manufacturers. This is evidence of the company’s ascent to fame as an industry leader in innovation over the past few years.

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Important Points To Remember

Trina Solar manufactures the best solar panels in the world with its high-end technology.
Different Solar Products including multi-busbar PERC cells, and N-type TOPCon monocaystalline cells.
Solar Panel Technologies include Honey series, Black Honey series, Duomax Models and Vertex Series
There are various benefits of Solar Trina Panels that distinguish it from the rest of the manufacturers.
You can choose Trina Solar for your homes to reduce your electricity bills.

Products Offered By Trina

The extensive line of solar panels from Trina Solar for residential, commercial, and utility-scale installations incorporates modern cell technologies. It includes multi-busbar PERC cells and the high-density panel format with N-type TOPCon monocrystalline cells.

The most sought-after home panels are from the new Trina Vertex line. The earlier, less expensive Honey series came in sizes up to 370W. TallMax and DuoMax bifacial sizes can now approach 600W, which makes them perfect for large-scale commercial and utility applications requiring high voltage. Trina also produces advanced bifacial and dual-glass substitutes that offer a guarantee of 30 years.

Solar Panels Technologies

Currently, Trina offers five series of panels for sale: Honey, Tallmax, Honeyblack, Duomax, and Vertex. The series of solar panels are described in detail below:

Honey Series

Trina’s Honey Series solar panels are its best-selling model because it strikes a solid balance between affordability and toughness. The Trina Honey solar panel’s half-cut cells make it perfect for use in small rooftop installations. All Honey Series panels are covered by a 12-year product guarantee and a 25-year warranty on linear power output by Trina. According to the PV Evolution Labs, the panels in this series have the best performance.

Black Honey Series

With its modern, all-black look, the Honey Black series is a preferred option for highly visible rooftops but is more expensive. Since they blend numerous different technologies into one, the panels perform at the same level as the Honey Series.

The Duomax Models

The Duomax solar panels from Trina have a glass back sheets and front sheets, which increases longevity and slows the pace at which power degrades. The solar panel comes with a 30-year linear performance warranty, which is longer than the 25-year warranties provided by most producers of traditional solar panels. The added glass makes the panel 6-7 kg heavier than a typical solar panel. Another advantage of using less aluminium framing is that dirt is less likely to collect around the edges of the solar panel.

The Vertex Series

The larger panels in this series (2.2m x 1.1m) are ideal for large-scale ground-mounted installations, such as solar farms. The Vertex uses a 210mm monocrystalline PERC cell with a large-size silicon wafer to generate more than 500Wp of electricity. This solar panel can produce an additional 5% to 30% of energy since it is bi-facial, allowing it to gather light from the top and bottom. The module can operate for longer periods of time and in hotter conditions because of its good temperature coefficient and low irradiation performance. Due to the square mono cells and high-density encapsulation technology used by the company, Trina’s Vertex series promises an efficiency of up to 20%.

Benefits of Trina Solar

After looking at the product’s capabilities, we may list the benefits and drawbacks of Trina Solar panels. Let’s start with the good:

Usually, Trina Solar sells panels with a power output of over 400W. Have you ever encountered a panel with 600W of power? Check out the Vertex version which gives a higher power output and maximum efficiency as compared to the other panels.
Trina Solar modules are highly effective and at the cutting edge. Trina engineers are up to date with solar technology development and are not hesitant to incorporate novel features into their panels. Vertex is one of the most effective panels on the market due to its high efficiency, which translates sunlight into usable power at a rate of 22%.
The price is also quite affordable. Trina Solar panels deliver a lot of power while being reasonably priced.

All these features make Trina solar panels popular among people who want to go solar

Cons of Trina Solar

It would be deceptive to highlight just good aspects of the Trina Solar product. Below are some drawbacks of Trina solar panels.

In systems used on a commercial and industrial scale, panels are essential. That’s not really a disadvantage, but it does restrict your possibilities for home-building modules.
The assurances provided by Trina Solar are customary. However, the new Vertex model comes with a 15-year product warranty that may be extended to 25 years.
It has come to light that Trina Solar’s panels from the years 2011 to 2014 have a variety of quality issues. PID (Potential Induced Degradation), water infiltration, and back sheet deterioration all contributed to damage to the panels. Although there haven’t been any incidents like this at Trina Solar for a long, it seems as though the company’s reputation will be tarnished forever.

What Sets Trina Solar Panels Apart From The Competition?

The output of solar panels can be doubled by cutting them in half vertically, allowing the top half to operate separately from the bottom half in the event of partial shadowing. Both of Trina’s residential half-cell panels are excellent choices for your home. Due to this and other aspects, Trina solar panels are ranked better than others on our list of suggested suppliers.

Trina Solar also regularly tests the quality of its solar products and keeps tabs on the effectiveness of its whole supply chain. Trina Solar verifies the environmental friendliness of their solar panel manufacturing processes through independent verification of sustainability standards. The Trina Solar staff places a high value on upholding a stellar reputation. You are much more likely to get support from a business that takes pride in both its products and its customers if you ever experience issues with your solar panels.

Why Should You Choose Trina Solar?

Trina Solar is a fantastic choice for residential solar panels due to its excellent craftsmanship, long company history, and sound financial standing. The panels from Trina Solar are dependable and come with a robust warranty. Both of Trina’s alternatives for residential solar panels are very good.

The solar installation company you choose will ultimately have a preferred list of solar panel manufacturers. If you decide to use Trina Solar panels to generate clean, emission-free solar energy, you should look for a solar installer who uses those panels. So, grab the best installers in town to reap the benefits of the Trina solar panels.

Trina Solar unveils 500-W bifacial modules

Trina Solar has formally unveiled its latest Duomax V bifacial double-glass modules and Tallmax V backsheeted modules. Based on the 210-mm large-size silicon wafer and monocrystalline PERC cell, the new modules come will have a high power output of more than 500 W and module efficiency up to 21%.

According to preliminary estimates from large-scale ground- mounted power stations in China’s Heilongjiang province, compared with conventional 410-W bifacial double-glass modules, the 500-W Duomax V can reduce the balance-of-system (BOS) cost by 6 to 8% and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by 3 to 4%. Trina Solar will formally start accepting orders in the second quarter of 2020 and is set to achieve mass production in the third quarter, with production capacity expected to exceed 5 GW by the end of the year.

Based on its multi-busbar technology, Trina Solar’s research and development team has introduced an innovative design that integrates advanced three-piece, non-destructive cutting and high-density packaging technologies. This further reduces the resistance loss and significantly improves the anti-cracking, anti-hot spot performance of the modules while maximizing space utilization. By doing so, the scientists created high-power modules characterized by high efficiency and high reliability. If the traditional half-cut cell design were applied to 210-mm ultra-large silicon wafers, the high current output characteristics of the modules could trigger system challenges, or cause the module to crack or run afoul of DC terminal limits.

In addition, the unique design of the new modules can ensure that the output current, open circuit voltage and mechanical load of the modules comply with relevant downstream technical safety specifications and can seamlessly connect with the existing mainstream PV system design.

“ Trina Solar has accumulated decades of experience in module design and manufacturing. We hope to drive the standardization of modules through our design and manufacturing advantages, which will not only benefit many segments in the industrial chain, but also enhances the design commonality of modules on the system side,” said Trina Solar vice general manager and executive VP Yin Rongfang. “In addition to the product itself, a good module requires consideration of its matching capability with existing systems. Thanks to Trina Solar’s experience in tracking systems, integrated solution and ground power station projects, we explored and solved the potential challenges that could arise in the practical application of the system early in the research and development stage, and fully tapped the potential of the product. I believe our new modules will bring the photovoltaic market to the next stage.”

About The Author

Kelly Pickerel

Kelly Pickerel has over a decade of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World.

Комментарии и мнения владельцев

Considering it’s only 21% efficient would mean this 500W module is actually 2.5 meters squared, or 25% larger than a nominal 72 cell module. So basically they are stuffing more silicon in a module. Would you agree?

Trina Solar unveils TOPCon solar panel series for rooftop PV

Trina Solar says its new TOPCon solar panel combines a double-glass design with n-type technology. Its efficiency ranges from 20.8% to 22.3% and the power output is between 415 W and 445 W.

Trina Solar has unveiled a new Vertex S solar module series based on n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPcon) technology at the Genera trade show in Madrid, Spain.

“The new modules series is suitable for both residential and CI applications,” company spokesperson Michael Katz told pv magazine. “The novelty of the new product consists of combining double-glass design with n-type technology.”

The company is offering the panel in two versions – a monofacial module with a white backseet and a bifacial product with a transparent backsheet.

“The monofacial NEG9R.28 comes with a white rear encapsulant for maximum output power, boasting up to 445Wp and reaching 22.3% efficiency,” the manufacturer said. “In contrast, the transparent NEG9RC.27 is the preferred option for high-end aesthetic applications, for example on residential rooftops where the array would all but disappear optically. This bifacial module features a front side power of 435Wp, at 21.8% efficiency.”

Trina Solar is offering five versions of the NEG9R.28 products, with a power output spanning from 425 W to 445 W and power conversion efficiencies ranging from 21.3% to 22,3%. Their open-circuit voltage ranges from 50.9 V to 52.6 V and the short-circuit current is between 10.56 A and 10.71 A. The panels measure 1,762 mm x 1,134 mm x 30 mm and weigh in at 21.1 kg.

The NEG9RC.27 modules are available in five versions with output between 415 W and 435 W and efficiency ranging from 20.8% to 21.8%. Their open-circuit voltage ranges from 50.1 V to 51.8 V and the short-circuit current is between 10.50 A and 10.64 A. They measure 1,762 mm x 1,134 mm x 30 mm and weigh in at 21.1 kg.

The products can be used with a maximum system voltage of 1,500 V and are built with IP 68 enclosures. They have a temperature coefficient of.0.30% per C and an operational temperature ranging from.40 C to 85 C.

The panels come with a 25-year product warranty and a 30-year performance warranty. The degradation in the first year is purportedly 1.0% and 30-year end power output is guaranteed to be no less than 87.4% of the nominal output power.

“Both types feature a surface area of just under two square meters and a black aluminum frame,” the manufacturer said.

“When it comes to installation, Vertex S is highly compatible with other BOS components,” Trina Solar explained.

It offers a range of mounting methods, including short side and long side clamping, crossed beam, shared rail, and slide-in mounting. Due to its short circuit current of 10.7A, it is also compatible with more than 99% of mainstream inverters in the market, as verified by a comprehensive compatibility analysis.