Module manufacturer responds to market shift

The Gemini series marks the Taiwanese manufacturer’s first foray into split-cell technology which reduces the size of the individual cells by half but doubles the total number of cells in the module. The range comprises the WSP-333MG and the 375 watt WST-375MG.

Winaico Australia managing director Blair Pester told pv magazine on Thursday the WST-375MG module would land in Australia before the end of January with the WSP-333MG to be available from April.

“Winaico is extremely excited to announce the arrival of these modules into the Asia Pacific region,” he said.

“The WST-375MG should be in our east coast warehouses just before Australia Day so we are going to be releasing shipments around then.

“The WSP-333MG is going to come a little later, around April, (so it’s) not too far away at all.”

Pester said the WST-375MG is Winaico’s most powerful module built to date. It features six strings of 20 monocrystalline silicon cells, nine bus bars and measures 1.759m x 1.034m x 35mm and weighs in at 20.6 kg. The accompanying data sheet claims it outperforms almost all other commercial options on the market with 20.62% efficiency.

The WST-375MG module “offers our customers great bang for buck and is well suited to the commercial market as well as residential customers wanting to maximise their roof space” the company said in a statement.

By contrast, the WSP-333MG delivers 20.27% efficiency and comes in at only 1.589m long and weighs just over 19.7kg. No other specifics were made available but the module does feature the strengthened frame synonymous with the WSP range and includes Winaico’s patented drainage corners, making it suitable for high-dust environments or low-pitch installations.

Pester said the WSP-333MG had been optimised for small roofs and the decision to produce a 333 W module was a deliberate response to market demand.

“The market has shifted,” he said. “A lot of installers install 6.6kW on a 5kW inverter. They wanted something bigger so we jumped on board that, retooled and started building these.

“The benefit of a 333 W panel means you can lay out 1 kW blocks easily and oversize inverters by one third simply.

“The new Gemini series is going to be an absolute gamechanger for our partners by boosting the power of both WSP and WST ranges.”

Pester said the Gemini modules have been designed with the installer in mind. Both modules will come with 1.2m cables to give installers greater flexibility and freedom when doing system designs.

Both modules come with a 25-year product and performance warranty and two-year system insurance.