REC releases high efficiency 275W panel
REC has announced that it will begin production of a new high-performance solar panel. The REC TwinPeak Series, which was introduced at REC's annual European Partner event in Munich, will be rated up to 275 watt peak (Wp), resulting in 17% panel efficiency and targets rooftops in the growing residential, commercial, and industrial markets.
Based on an innovative design that provides more power output per square meter, the new panel features 120 half-cut multicrystalline cells, four bus bars, passivated emitter rear cell (PERC) technology, and a split junction box. Together, these technologies enhance power output by around 10 Wp per panel. Like all REC products, the REC TwinPeak Series is 100% free from potential induced degradation, avoiding power losses even in the harshest conditions and environments in terms of high temperatures and humidity.* Production and initial shipments of the REC TwinPeak Series panels will begin in Q1 2015.
Splitting the junction box into three separate units enables the ground-breaking new layout of the REC TwinPeak Series, while also reducing heat build-up and bolstering panel reliability. Furthermore, the half-cut cells "” which are manufactured by laser cutting standard-sized cells in half "” result in a reduction of resistive losses and a higher fill factor. The PERC architecture improves the light absorption of the cell, boosting overall performance, and the addition of a fourth bus bar increases the flow of current, improving efficiency and reliability.
"The new REC TwinPeak Series represents the latest example of our drive to continuously improve our technology and product offering," said Cemil Seber, Director Product Marketing and Global Expansion of REC. "Our new product offers a cutting-edge solution on a polysilicon platform that can strongly compete with monocrystalline solar panels on efficiency and performance, which are essential to the rooftop solar markets."
Market research groups expect robust growth for residential, commercial, and industrial segments in several key regions worldwide. Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) forecasts that more than 1 terawatt of rooftop solar capacity will be added by 2030, mostly in Europe and the U.S. In 2014, GTM Research projects strong double-digit growth for both the U.S. residential and commercial segments in 2014. REC notes surging demand in the commercial rooftop sector in the U.K. and Germany as well as in some Asian countries such as Singapore, due to increasing electricity prices and continuously improving solar system economics. Especially in Germany, the company sees notable potential for commercial self-consumption installations.
