REC reveals new module with half cut cells
REC is presenting two new solar panel concepts at PV Japan in Tokyo from July 30 to August 1: a design with half-cut cells and the REC Peak Energy next generation concept. The new developments will be on display alongside the established REC Peak Energy Series and are testament to the company's continued thought leadership in the industry.
The main visual difference of REC's half-cut concept is that the standard cell size is cut in half. The benefits are a higher fill factor and higher efficiencies resulting in better energy yields, especially at times of high irradiance. Panels with a higher fill factor have a lower resistance, where current losses internal to the cell are reduced. Further advances in technology include the use of four bus bar cells, bringing an increase in current by lowering resistance. Besides, a backside passivation technology helps to increase energy yield by giving light a second chance to be converted into current. By splitting the junction box into three smaller parts, the panel power output can be further increased due to an optimized layout. On top, heat build-up behind the box is reduced. A further important benefit of the REC half-cut cell design is a significantly better performance under certain shading conditions compared to a standard panel.
Based on the renowned quality, the next generation of REC Peak Energy Series solar panels shows the company taking the next step in enhancing its product offering. The new design works to raise panel efficiency by featuring a number of technology evolutions: In combination with the split junction box and four bus bar cells, a white encapsulant layer behind the cells ensures that more light is captured for electricity generation.
PV Japan is a major tradeshow for the country's solar industry. It also attracts many international exhibitors and visitors, which demonstrates the importance of the Japanese market to the worldwide solar industry. Although the market is experiencing a slight slowdown in growth rates of residential installations due to the 11% cut to feed-in tariffs announced earlier this year, demand continues to increase in the commercial segment, particularly for installations between 10 and 50 kW. In this small-commercial segment, installed capacity is expected to grow to 4.5 to 5.5 GW in 2014 from 2.5 to 3 GW last year. This segment is characterized by a large number of suitable rooftops and feed-in tariffs making these installations a financially appealing option.
"Japan is consistently one of the world's largest markets for solar power installations, and continues to be a key market for REC. We are valued as a premium supplier in the quality-conscious Japanese market," says Go Sekiguchi, Representative Director for REC in Japan. "Customer surveys consistently tell us that the two most important decision criteria for solar panels are quality and reliability, ahead of price. Our exceptionally low product claims rate confirms REC's quality. To put this in perspective: out of a total of three million panels shipped last year, less than 300 were returned to REC as defective."
