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Reviews and information on the best Solar panels, inverters and batteries from SMA, Fronius, SunPower, SolaX, Q Cells, Trina, Jinko, Selectronic, Tesla Powerwall, ABB. Plus hybrid inverters, battery sizing, Lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries, off-grid and on-grid power systems.
Jinko Solar Panels Overview
Jinko Solar is currently the world’s largest solar panel manufacturer and has a sound track record for producing cost-effective, reliable solar panels for residential and commercial applications. On the back of several record-breaking solar cell efficiency records and innovations, Jinko Solar has emerged as one of the industry leaders in research and development. The company is now leading the transition to cost-effective high-performance N-type cells with the flagship Tiger NEO series panels.
Jinko Solar Panels Quick Summary
- Power rating (W): 370W. 635W
- Efficiency (%): Very High. 20.6%. 23.2%
- Cell technology: P-type, N-type, TOPCon
- Price bracket: Low-Med
- Most popular panel: Tiger Neo 440W
- Product Warranty: Very Good. 12, 15, 20, or 25 years
- Service and support: Very good 4/5
- Overall: Recommended ☆☆☆☆☆
Company History
Jinko Solar was founded in 2006 and became the world’s largest solar panel manufacturer only a decade later, in 2016. The company has held the top stop for the last six years, with global shipments of 14.3 GW in 2019 alone. Based in China, Jinko Solar is a huge multi-national, vertically integrated company, employing over 15,000 people in 70 countries and establishing manufacturing facilities in China, Malaysia and the US.
Jinko Solar’s success seems primarily due to the FOCUS on RD, performance testing, quality control and rigorous durability testing. This is highlighted by the numerous record-breaking achievements over the years, with several efficiency records and consistent ‘top score’ results from several independent testing companies, including the well-known PVEL scorecards. Until recently, Jinko Solar was generally not at the forefront of innovation and usually played it safe by only deploying panels using proven cell architectures such as traditional P-type PERC and half-cut cells. However, Jinko has started pushing the boundaries with the release of the Tiger NEO series panels described in more detail below.
Jinko Solar Panel Range
Like most large PV manufacturers, Jinko offers a range of solar panels designed for residential, commercial, or utility-scale installations. They can also tailor panel designs and formats to suit specific applications if required for larger MW scale systems. The Jinko panel range comprises the following:
- Cheetah. Compact, simple, budget panels
- Tiger. Compact, mid to high-performance panels
- Tiger Pro. Large, mid to high-performance panels
- Tiger Neo. High-performance panels for residential, commercial and utility-scale systems
Solar installers typically describe Jinko Solar as providing good entry-level, cost-effective panels. Like most competing manufacturers, Jinko produces panels based on regular mono PERC cells using P-type silicon. However, more recently, Jinko pushed into the high-performance category by releasing the Tiger series built on high-purity N-type cells. Traditionally, only the premium panel manufacturers, including SunPower, Panasonic and REC, built panels based on N-type cells, but over the last two years, most manufacturers, including Jinko and Trina Solar, have developed cost-effective N-type cell manufacturing methods to boost panel efficiency.
Benefits of N-Type cells compared to traditional P-Type cells
- Increased efficiency
- Lower rate of degradation (only 0.4% per year)
- Better high-temperature performance
- Improved performance warranty
Cheetah series
The Cheetah range of panels were the first in the series named after big cats, following on from the obsolete Eagle series. First released back in 2018, the Cheetah panels are available in a range of sizes from 325W to 340W, in both the standard 60 (or 120 half-cut) cell residential size, or up to 410W in the larger format commercial size. Figures from Formbay, showed the Cheetah panels were the top-selling panel in Australia during 2020, specifically the JKM330M-60H model. Jinko Cheetah panels were well regarded by most installers we surveyed due to providing a good combination of quality and value for money. However, several installers noted frames were not always perfectly square and some glass colour mismatch (a visual discrepancy only). See the full Cheetah Mono PERC datasheet.
Jinko expanded the Cheetah range in 2020 to include a new slightly larger 66 cell (132 half-cut) panel with increased efficiency and greater power output ranging from 360W to 380W. This new mid-size 370W panel variety has become a new industry standard and will possibly replace the traditional 60 cell (120 cell) format in the near future. See the full Cheetah Plus data sheet.
Tiger series panels
The higher performance Tiger series are rated from 370W up to 470W and feature many of the latest innovations in PV cell technology including larger size cells, multi-busbar (MBB) with 9 thin wire busbars (as opposed to traditional flat ribbon busbars) and what Jinko has termed ‘Tiling Ribbon’ or TR for short. Tiling ribbon is a manufacturing technique where the cells are slightly overlapped, much like shingled cells, to eliminate the gap between the cells and increase overall surface area which in-turn increases efficiency. To achieve this, Jinko uses a unique pressing process to join the thin wire busbars together. This has the added benefit of reducing costs, and almost eliminating the need for soldering which can contain traces of lead. The overall result of these clever innovations is higher performance, improved reliability, and of course, increased efficiency. See the full Tiger N-type datasheet
TIGER PANEL KEY FEATURES
- High-purity N-Type cells
- TR. high-density cell technology
- 9BB. Nine Busbars
- 20 Year Product Warranty
- 30 Year Performance Warranty
Tiger Pro Series
The second iteration in the Tiger series was the Tiger Pro panels which debuted in 2020 with a record-breaking power rating of up to 580W. Shortly after, at the SNEC PV Power Expo in China, JinkoSolar unveiled a 610W version of the Tiger Pro panel, making it one of the most powerful panels on the market. The initial release was 530W and built up to 580W, followed by 600W as the production volume and cell efficiency increased which is a common practice by most manufacturers.
Tiger Pro panels are now available in a wide range of sizes to suit all applications, from the compact 54-cell 400W panels, to the large-format Tiger Pro panels available up to 550W. The Tiger Pro range is built on the larger 182mm cell format and features a 9 MBB Tiling Ribbon (TR) cell design using a high-purity N-type silicon cell base to achieve up to 21.6% efficiency. The MBB cell design also results in a lower temperature coefficient of.0.35%/°C.
Tiger Neo Series
The Tiger Neo series is the latest iteration in Jinko’s range of panels, built on high-performance TOPCon cell technology. TOPCon cells are made using high-purity N-type cells and are slowly emerging as the new industry standard due to the increased efficiency compared to regular Mono PERC cells made using a P-type substrate. The Neo panels range from the mid-size 440W panel to the much larger, high-power 635W panels designed for large-scale solar farms. Thanks to recent innovations, maximum efficiency now comes at a record-breaking 23.2% thanks to the high-density cell format and next-generation high-performance N-type TOPCon cells. The NEO series is available in various sizes for different applications, including 54, 60, 72, and 78-cell formats.
Other impressive highlights of the TOPCon cell technology include a high bifacial factor to improve bifacial performance (absorption of reflected light on the back-side of the panel), minimal LID and very low LeTID degradation, an improved 30-year warranty, and a lower temperature coefficient of.0.30% to minimise losses in high-temperature environments. The Neo series is available in two bifacial varieties with either 72 or 78-cell configurations for large-scale ground-mounted solar arrays.
Confusing warranties
The Jinko warranty details are some of the most confusing of any manufacturer. The product warranty period of the same module can vary by up to 10 years, depending on the region. The Tiger N-type series were the first from JinkoSolar to be backed by a 15 or 25-year product warranty and an extended 30-year performance warranty. Due to the lower rate of light-induced degradation (LID), the high-purity N-type panels are guaranteed to still operate at a minimum of 87.4% of the rated power after 30 years, which equates to a very low 0.4% loss per year of use.
In a rare move, the Tiger Neo product warranty released on the 11th Nov 2021 was reduced from 15 to 12 years. This is very unusual as most manufacturers, including Jinko, generally increase the product warranty period with the release of newer, more advanced modules. However, this reduction was reversed on the 29th of November in the same month.
The entry-level Tiger P-type panel performance warranty still promises a minimum of 83.1% after 25 years, which is reasonable considering the harsh environmental conditions solar panels are exposed to throughout the year. The Tiger P-type product warranty is 12 years. The older Cheetah series still maintain the standard 12-year product warranty and 25-year performance warranty, with 83.1% minimum power output with a maximum of 0.62% degradation per year.
2023 Warranty Update
On the 1st of April, Jinko released a new 2023 product warrant document that outlines the warranty period of all currently available modules. The product warranty period is 12 or 15 years for most Tiger N-type, NEO and Pro panels and 25 years for a few selected models. However, this new warranty document does not cover modules sold in Australia or Europe. For Australian customers, Jinko released a Special Limited Warranty document in late 2022, which specifies a unique 20-year limited product warranty period for most models sold in the region.
Making Solar Panels using Solar power
JinkoSolar have committed to source 100% of their electricity demand from renewables by 2025 as part of the RE100 initiative. “RE100 is the global corporate renewable energy initiative bringing together hundreds of large businesses who have committed to 100% renewable electricity.”
In addition to powering all of its facilities from renewables, Jinko also plans to locate all new factories close to regions with a high penetration of renewable energy. To help reach the goal of 100% renewable by 2025 Jinko will FOCUS more RD on developing higher efficiency solar panels and push to increase the use of recycled materials in its manufacturing processes. Plus efforts will be made to use the most energy efficient manufacturing technologies and reduce the use of lead based solder which is already being achieved through the unique TR cell interconnection being used on the current Jinko Tiger Pro panels.
Quality and Performance
Jinko Solar has a good track record for reliability based on our continuous feedback from solar installers and industry professionals. Like almost all manufacturer’s, Jinko has had some panel failures over the years, but they generally provide good service and will replace failed or very poor performing panels under warranty without too much fuss.
One of the world’s leading independent solar module testing and performance services PVEL, a German-based testing facility, produce the annual PV Module Reliability Scorecard Report. Jinko Solar has performed very well in the last five years of testing, achieving a ‘Top performer’ rating every year to be ranked as number 1 among the highest performing module’s in the group with no severe degradation or failures.
The low failure rates could only be due to the stringent testing performed at Jinko Solar’s own UL certified module test facilities, and huge RD test center which conducts advanced failure analysis. Another important area where Jinko claims to have gone above most competitors is in conducting ‘deep-dive due diligence’ on all material suppliers. This ensures they are receiving only the highest quality raw materials, plus all processes and supplier production facilities must meet the company requirements.
Jinko battery storage systems
Jinko Solar has joined the ranks of several other well-known panel manufacturers, including Sunpower and Q Cells and released a range of energy storage systems. However, unlike the manufacturers mentioned above, which have focused on residential storage, Jinko has gone a step further and developed a wide range of energy storage systems, including large commercial and utility-scale systems. To achieve this, Jinko Solar has teamed up with a variety of established energy storage and inverters manufacturers and rebadged several well-known battery storage products under Jinko branding.
Due to the strict regulations and standards for different regions, Jinko offers a variety of residential battery systems depending on your country. For example, in Australia, Jinko offers the Suntank system, which is a rebranded Growatt SPH series hybrid inverter coupled with the Growatt LV modular battery system. While it is an affordable package, it is far from the longest-lasting or most reliable battery system due to being backed by a limited 5 5 years warranty with a lower than average lifespan offering only a minimum of 50% retained capacity after ten years. See the full Suntank battery warranty document.
Another energy storage system offered is the 3-Phase JKS series built around the well-known Deye 12K hybrid inverter platform, available in a range of sizes from 7.2kWh up to 19.2kWh. Download the datasheet here. All Jinko battery systems are built using lithium Ferro phosphate (LFP) cell technology which is safer and generally offers a longer cycle life than other lithium battery chemistries.
Summary
Jinko Solar did not become the world’s largest solar panel producer purely by luck. Until recently, the company didn’t FOCUS on manufacturing the most efficient panels but rather mass-producing the most cost-effective and reliable panels built on tried and proven PV cell technologies. However, JinkoSolar’s emphasis on research and development is now helping push the solar industry towards new high-performance cell technologies. The release of the Tiger N-type and Neo TOPCon panels featuring tiling ribbon technology highlights Jinko’s innovative manufacturing techniques to help increase efficiency while keeping costs down.
With Jinko Solar’s good track record and solid market position, they are certainly one of the better choices for those looking for reliable, cost-effective solar panels. In particular, the Tiger range of panels which have already proven to be a very popular choice for residential and commercial installations. However, one thing to be aware of is the product warranty details can be confusing as the warranty period can vary dramatically depending on the country or region.
On the battery storage front, JinkoSolar is a very new player and it will take some time is establish itself in this rapidly growing space. That said, Jinko made a good move to build some of its energy storage systems around Deye hybrid inverters rather than starting from scratch. Deye Group has built power conversion equipment since 2007 and has a solid foundation. However, more recently, Jinko decided to re-badge a Growatt Hybrid inverter and LV modular battery system under the Suntank branding in some regions backed by, what I consider to be, an insufficient battery performance warranty.
Bifacial solar panels: innovative and more efficient
Bifacial solar panels have grabbed everyone’s attention in the solar PV industry — for all the right reasons.
Bifacial PV solar panels offer what traditional panels can’t; the ability to absorb sunlight from the bottom of the panel in addition to the top. Bifacial models are unique in this way because the bottom part of the panel, the backsheet, needs to be exposed. Because of that, bifacial panels are not actually that practical for roof installations.
But where they can be installed, which are typically on ground mounts and for utility-scale projects, they offer more efficiency than traditional panels. Below, we’ll get more into what makes them so revolutionary.
On and off again: The tariff exemption on bifacial panels
Solar tariffs have caused a stir in the solar industry since former President Trump applied tariffs to solar panels manufactured outside of the United States. The intent of the tariffs was to help boost U.S. production and manufacturing, and thus the sale of U.S.-made solar panels.
This is a unique challenge though because putting tariffs on foreign panels means that there is less access to cheap solar panels. The Biden Administration kept many of the tariffs in place, but with some alterations. Importantly, bifacial panels remain exempt from the tariffs altogether, which is good news for utility-scale solar installers because they have access to globally manufactured solar panels.
The tariff timeline is as follows:
- In 2018, bifacial solar panels were initially included when tariffs were imposed on solar panels
- In 2019, they were granted an exemption by the Trump Administration
- Late that same year, the Administration attempted to reinstate the tariff but was blocked by legal action from the solar industry
- In November 2020, the U.S. Court of International Trade decided that the Administration could reimpose the tariffs on bifacial solar panels
- In 2022, the Biden Administration extended the tariffs for an additional 4 years but exempted bifacial panels
What exactly are bifacial solar panels and how do they work?
Bifacial solar panels have solar cells that absorb light from both the front side and the rear side of the panel. That means that instead of letting valuable light go to waste, the back of the panel is able to absorb it.
Bifacial solar panels can capture UV rays that traditional panels miss, making your solar panels extra efficient.
Sunlight can reflect from all sorts of non-reflective and reflective surfaces, even the ground. When sunlight bounces off of surfaces, say from light reflected from snow, this effect is called ‘albedo’. Bifacial solar panels can absorb this light and because of that, they provide increased efficiency and thus more energy generation than the traditional ‘monofacial’ solar panels that make up the vast majority of existing PV solar systems.
Here’s a quick video that demonstrates the idea behind bifacial solar panels:
How much can you save by installing solar panels on your specific home?
Top bifacial solar panel manufacturers
Because they are still relatively new, bifacial panels are not produced by all solar panel manufacturers. LG was one of the top bifacial solar panel manufacturers, but they recently announced that they are leaving the solar panel business.
Stepping up in their place are the top bifacial solar panel manufacturers Q CELLS, Canadian Solar, and Jinko Solar.
Q CELLS
Q CELLS, one of the top-rated solar panels on SolarReviews, manufactures bifacial panels for utility-scale installations. The QPeak XL Duo has an efficiency rating of 21.4% and comes with a 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance guarantee.
Q CELLS are one of the most popular brands for their performance and durability.
Canadian Solar
Canadian Solar has combined advanced bifacial cell technology with its double glass module manufacturing expertise to develop the ultramodern BiKu bifacial panels, which are used for utility-scale installations. Their highly durable racking frames are made with anodized aluminum alloy frames and 2mm of heat strengthened glass.
Canadian Solar claims that BiKu bifacial panels produce up to 30% additional power from the back side.
JinkoSolar
The Tiger model LM is the bifacial solar module offered by Jinko Solar. This module comes with a 13-year product warranty, 30-year linear power warranty, and claims a.45% degradation rate.
The unique frameless design of Jinko solar panels greatly reduces the possibility of the PID effect. a phenomenon that causes unwanted panel degradation.
While Q CELLS, Canadian Solar, and Jinko Solar are the best known, there are many other companies that manufacture bifacial modules. Here’s a list of other prominent market players who are involved in manufacturing advanced bifacial solar technology:
Bifacial systems clearly have a promising future in the utility solar market. But what about when it comes to residential solar, are they a good fit for homes?
Are bifacial solar panels a good choice for homes?
The biggest reason for this is that bifacial solar panels don’t work well when installed on rooftops. Rooftop solar panels are mounted on frames which leave just a few inches between the panel and the roof surface. This means that very little reflected sunlight reaches the rear panel face, restricting bifacial solar production.
They require a large amount of space in order to avoid shading and to absorb the reflected light properly, making them less suitable for residential properties where real estate is limited.
Additionally, bifacial solar panels currently come with a significant cost premium, and in residential setups they are unlikely to produce the additional solar power required to justify their higher price. This means that traditional monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar panels are still the most cost-effective solar PV option for residential installations.
That being said, bifacial solar systems can still prove useful for certain residential applications. For instance, bifacial thin-film solar cells make sense when used for freestanding structures like carports, awnings, or pergolas, both providing partial shade and producing energy from both sides.
A solar patio designed from bifacial solar panels to capture sunlight from both sides. Image source: Prism Solar
Bifacial systems may also work for areas where there is no hindrance to the reflection of light. Canopies and awnings made from bifacial photovoltaics PV panels allow the reflected light to reach the back of the panels and generate additional sustainable energy for homes.
Major solar projects using bifacial solar technology
There are a number of large-scale solar projects built with bifacial solar modules that have been, and continue to be built.
These bifacial installations are an indication of how this technology has been booming globally. Here are some noteworthy developments:
- In 2021, Robins Air Force Base in Georgia completed an 870 acre solar farm to provide power to the base
- In 2021, the Taygete Energy Project in Pecos, Texas was under construction with 344 MW of solar power; it will be one of the largest solar projects in Texas
- In 2019, LONGi began construction on a 224 MW capacity power generation project in Mitchell County, Georgia. It will be the largest bifacialtracker power generation project in the United States
The bifacial solar panels market will take off but not all future panels will be double-sided
Bifacial solar panels are being hailed as solar energy‘s next big thing. With a higher rate of energy production, bifacial panels seem bound to become increasingly popular in the U.S. utility solar market.
However, they are unlikely to have much of an impact on residential solar. A bifacial solar system mounted on the roof of a home can’t really capture the reflecting rays of the sun. Add to that their premium price and frameless design, and it’s clear that bifacial solar technology will not be a fit for most homes.
JinkoSolar field test demonstrates gains for bifacial modules
Since 2018 Chinese solar company JinkoSolar has been running a comparative test of its Swan bifacial module, with transparent backsheet, and monofacial PV technology on a variety of mounting types and ground types. Test sites included white-painted ground surfaces, sand, gravel and cement at locations in China and the US. Some arrays were fixed and others incorporated tracking. Jinko cooperated with solar research company PVEL, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, tracking manufacturer Nextracker and other third parties to study the power generation performance of bifacial modules and factors that affected gains in generation for bifacial technology.
Project location: Haining, Zhejiang, China
GROUND SURFACE PAINTED WHITE: The data gathered between May 2018 and January 2019 show the energy output of Jinko’s bifacial with dual glass (156mm size cell) versus monofacial modules where the surface below the arrays had been painted white. The average bifacial gain is about 16% during the whole testing period, while higher in summer (up to 19%) and lower in winter.
Daily generation per watt of monofacial vs bifacial (LHS) and bifacial gain (RHS) on white surface
SAND SURFACE: The Swan bifacial with transparent backsheet reaches bifacial gain of 10.02%, with the same variation between seasons that is a little bit higher in summer and lower in winter.
Daily generation per watt (LHS) and bifacial gain (RHS) on sand
CEMENT SURFACE: This string type test on a cement surface was performed on Jinko’s factory rooftop. The system was designed similar to a CI project, with horizontal installation. The lowest point of modules is 0.7m off the ground. The average bifacial gain for the Swan with transparent backsheet is 9.74%. Bifacial modules show better low-irradiance performance. As irradiance become lower, the energy generation per watt become lower but the bifacial gain increases.
Project location: Qiong Hai, Hainan, China
SAND SURFACE: Qionghai is located in the southernmost Hainan province of China and has a humid, tropical climate. Modules were mounted in 2P tracker configuration (two-in-portrait) with module height (flatwise) of 2.7m. The ground type is sand, albedo 19%-20%. The bifacial gain of P type Swan TB bifacial module is significantly high, up to 16.66% against Cheetah monofacial mounted on the same scenario. This high bifacial gain can effectively cut down the LCOE.
Project location: Fremont, California, US
GREY GRAVEL SURFACE: Fremont has a dry and warm summer then a wet and rainy winter. The project is located in the outdoor field test station of solar tracking firm Nextracker. The ground is light gray gravel and the measured albedo of the site is around 20%. Considering the control group is monofacial modules installed on the same tracker and ground albedo is 20%, bifacial gain of 8.34% for the transparent backsheet module is considerable.
Conclusion
The results reveal that the Jinko Swan bifacial module can exhibit a high gain compared with monofacial technology under different scenarios. In a CI project with fixed mounting and white-painted ground with high albedo (80%-90%) a gain of 16% was achieved, so the same power generation can be realized with fewer modules and less initial investment to cut down the LCOE of the project. Using ordinary cement ground can also achieve a bifacial gain of more than 9% without additional cost of ground laying.
In the scenario of a large-scale power station, the bifacial modules were tested with a tracking system. When the albedo is only 20%, besides the energy gain expected from tracking the bifacial modules provide another 8% energy generation gain, effectively reducing LCOE. In Qionghai, where irradiance levels are low, the Swan bifacial with a transparent backsheet, the bifacial gain is as high as 16.6%, thus effectively reducing the LCOE of the project.
JinkoSolar unveils details of its TopCon 620W bifacial solar panel
The Tiger Neo panel has a power conversion efficiency of up to 22.1% and a temperature coefficient of.0.30% per Celsius degree. The product is made with 182mm wafers, half-cut cells, and has a power output ranging from 590 to 620 W.
JinkoSolar Tiger Neo module.
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Chinese PV module manufacturer JinkoSolar began production of its TOPCon n-type bifacial monocrystalline panels at the beginning of this year.
After few months of operations of its 1 GW manufacturing lines, the company has disclosed a few more details about the new product – the Tiger Neo solar module, which it is planning to launch on the market soon. “Having expanded the economies of scale makes it easier to compete with p-type PERC product,” JinkoSolar CTO, Hao Jin, told pv magazine.
The panel is made with 182mm wafers, half-cut cells, and has a power output ranging from 590 to 620 W. It measures 2465×1134×30mm and has a weight of 34.8 kg. Its power conversion efficiency ranges from 21.11% and 22.18% and its temperature coefficient is.0.30% per Celsius degree.
The operating ambient temperature ranges from.40 to 85 degrees Celsius, said the manufacturer, and maximum system voltage is 1,500 V. The panel has an anodized aluminum frame and 2mm of tempered glass with an anti-reflection coating. Its junction box has an IP 68 rating.
Jinko offers a 15-year product warranty and a 30-year power output guarantee. Annual linear degradation over 30 years is indicated at 0.40% while degradation for the first year of the panel’s lifetime is capped at less than 1%.
“The module is manufactured with a circular solder strip to obtain better optical gain,” Jin went on to say. “Its bifaciality of 80-85% is about 5%-15% higher than that of conventional p-type bifacial products.” According to the manufacturer, the combination of advantages such as a low-temperature coefficient, a low degradation rate, and the high bifaciality ensure that the energy yield is 3% higher than that of mainstream p-type bifacial modules.
The module is recommended for utility-scale projects, but JinkoSolar said that, given its efficiency and reliability, it could also be used for rooftop projects of any size.
JinkoSolar had announced in mid-July it achieved a 23.53% conversion efficiency for an n-type monocrystalline solar PV module based on its TOPCon mono cell technology. “The module’s breakthrough performance was the result of adopting JinkoSolar’s cutting-edge TOPCon cell technology fused with a new-type of welding and packaging technology,” the manufacturer said in a statement released at the time. “The module design not only reduces the internal resistance loss of the module, but improves power efficiency and module appearance.”
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Emiliano Bellini
Emiliano joined pv magazine in March 2017. He has been reporting on solar and renewable energy since 2009.
What Jinko Solar’s World Record Means for the Solar Industry
Recent days have seen Jinko Solar make waves around the solar community with news of its new world record. The Shanghai-headquartered company has broken the world record for bifacial modules conversion efficiency. This achievement is significant not only as a standalone, but for the secondary benefits it is set to deliver the solar industry.
The achievement
Announcing in recent days the maximum conversion efficiency of its bifacial solar modules reached 22.49%, Jinko Solar’s feat sets a new industry standard for efficiency of mass-produced solar cells. Jinko Solar was successful in improving efficiency for its mass-produced modules by applying newly developed ARC and advanced metallization technologies and proven proprietary technologies to high-efficient cell design.
This news is exciting by itself, but even more so when the wider benefits are factored in.
The ancillary benefits for the industry
This achievement comes at a particularly exciting time for the solar industry around the world as it edges closer and closer to obtaining grid parity. High-efficiency modules help to reduce the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) and help drive the industry closer to grid parity globally. This has been a longstanding goal and one that the final months of 2019 and the start of this new year has seen new data reveal very promising progress.
Although true a sizeable gap still remains between the world’s most competitive markets—such as India, Italy, and France—and others, ultimately the cost of solar continues to decline. And in relative terms—given the youth of the industry and the rapidly growing popularity its been enjoying across many jurisdictions—the speed at which these costs have visibly lowered across many markets in just a few short years has indeed been akin to a price crash.
The road ahead from here
News now such progress early in 2020 will be joined by a new world record-setting feat by Jinko Solar is surely welcome news to their team in Shanghai, and to so many of us around the world keen for further innovation in the industry. comment