Modules & Upstream Manufacturing

Last week, testing specialists PV Evolution Labs launched its latest Module Reliability Scorecard, which names more than 100 products from 26 manufacturers as top performers, after being put through their paces in extensive lab testing. This year’s scorecard reveals an increase in modules seeing at least one failure during the testing procedure, with newly added mechanical stress procedures causing the greatest number of failures.

The Chinese module manufacturer said the 0.35% improvement in efficiency was obtained through material upgrades integrated into the cell process and fabrication. The result was confirmed by China’s National Institute of Metrology.

The pursuit of higher conversion efficiencies is an eternal theme in the PV industry. Among all the links in the chain, cell technology is the most fundamental and decisive element. As we look beyond the established PERC technology, whether heterojunction or TOPCon will become the dominant “next-gen” solar cell among China’s manufacturing giants is emerging as a balancing act between incumbent and upstart, reports Vincent Shaw from Shanghai.

Canada-based Enertopia filed provisional patents for technology that it said could boost PV system output by 10% or more and reduce panel heat stress.

In the proposed system, the optical element is placed symmetrically at the centre of the solar panel in order to increase the length of the effective light collection region. Each hologram is claimed to be able to separate the colors of sunlight and direct them to the solar cells within the solar panel.

The discussion about the extent to which forced labor exists in the solar value chain continues. A video, a university report, a ministerial response and a parliamentary machinations formed notable developments of the debate last week.

The Q.Peak Duo XL-G10.3 panel is currently the largest and most powerful product manufactured by the South Korean module maker. It is based on 156 monocrystalline ‘Q.antum’ half cells and is the company’s first panel relying on M6 wafers.

The new module series has a power output ranging from 370 to 380 W, a temperature coefficient of -0.26% per degree Celsius, and an efficiency of up to 21.7%.

The devil is in the details, as they say, and when it comes to the next generation of mass-produced, high-efficiency PV cells, silver costs may be devilishly hard to reduce. Making things worse, prices for the precious metal are now heading in the wrong direction.

Production on the new module, called Q.Tron, is expected to begin this year. The product is described as an evolution of the company’s Q.antum cell technology.