Norwegian solar panel manufacturer REC Group will launch its new Alpha Series modules in Australia at next week’s All-Energy show. The high-efficiency, half-cut mono n-type heterojunction (HJT) module is billed as the world’s highest powered 60-cell solar panel.
The local debut will closely follow the launch of mass production of the Alpha Series at REC’s manufacturing facility in Singapore. The company said it invested US$150 million in the new 600 MW production line which has taken its annual panel manufacturing capacity to 1.8 GW. “It is a bold move jumping to HJT and it is also very bold to do 600 MW in one shot – but being bold and innovative is in REC’s DNA,” said the company’s chief technology officer Shankar G Sridhara.
The new module series was launched in May at Intersolar in Munich, Germany, where pv magazine had the chance to interview REC vice-president for Europe, Middle East and Africa sales Ivano Zanni. The VP described the Alpha Series as the next step beyond the company’s monocrystalline product and the n-type mono module it launched last year.
The 60-cell panel has a reported power output of 380 W. That, the manufacturer claims, translates to a power density of 217 W/m², providing 20% more power than conventional panels with the same footprint. “The module offers the best power density you can get, an important fact for rooftops especially, where there are limited square meters,” said Zanni in May.
According to the product’s official specification (pdf), the 380 W module has an efficiency of 21.7% and the black version has an efficiency of 21.4% and an output of up to 375 W. In addition to increased power and efficiency, REC Alpha Series panels are backed by REC’s 25-year product warranty (on installations by REC Solar professional, otherwise 20 years), and a 25-year power output warranty, guaranteeing 92% of nameplate power after 25 years.
“The urgent need for a global-scale energy transition can’t be stressed enough, and only through ground-breaking technological leaps will this be achieved. At a time where global citizens are investing in clean energy more than ever before, we’re incredibly proud to be exceeding consumer demand with the revolutionary technology of the REC Alpha Series,” said REC Group CEO, Steve O’Neil.
“By offering such a high value solar panel, REC is again setting new trends, and creating a ‘win-win-win’ opportunity for REC, our partners and solar professionals, as well as home owners and business who want to make a difference for the next generation,” he added.
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