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The weekend read: Behind the curve<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Even as solar installations continue to grow and renewables make their way further into the energy mix, a look at the bigger energy picture reveals a worrying lack of commitment among utilities to a transition away from fossil fuels. This was the conclusion of researchers at Oxford University, who found that globally, less than half of all utilities have prioritized the development of renewables over the past 20 years. Even among those that have focused on solar and wind, just 15% actually reduced commitments to fossil fuels at the same time.

From pv magazine 11/2020

A global shift to clean energy is already underway, with wind, solar, and other power sources growing in capacity each year. Renewables are set to overtake coal and gas to account for the largest share of the global energy mix before 2040, according to International Energy Agency predictions.

A look back over the past 20 years shows that the development of renewable energy has so far been driven by independent power producers, which are estimated to own three-quarters of non-hydro renewables capacity globally. Electric utility companies, meanwhile, have been much slower to pick up on the shift, owning around 19% of that capacity, and in many cases continuing to invest heavily in coal and gas generation.

“Although there have been a few high-profile examples of individual electric utilities investing in renewables, overall the sector is making the transition to clean energy slowly or not at all,” says Galina Alova, a researcher at Oxford University and author of a study analyzing utility investments. “Utilities’ continued investment in fossil fuels leaves them at risk of stranded assets – where power plants will need to be retired early – and undermines global efforts to tackle climate change.”

Bigger picture

The study led by Alova took in the activities of more than 3,000 utilities between 2001 and 2018. The data was collated from the World Electric Power Plants Database published by S&P Global Market Intelligence – estimated to contain unit-level data on around 109,500 power plants operated by 42,000 companies. “What’s really valuable about this data set is the historical lens that it allows to look through,” says Galova. “Often, asset-level data sets have the latest snapshots of the power generation sector, but not necessarily going back decades back. So this is quite a unique data set.”

This data was then analyzed and arranged into “clusters” of similar data points using a machine-learning technique. The study, “A global analysis of the progress and failure of electric utilities to adapt their portfolios of power-generation assets to the energy transition,” was published in Nature Energy.

The research revealed four major trends among all of the utilities and multiple sub-patterns within them. The largest chunk – more than 75% of the companies, representing 50% of the overall capacity – were so-called “passive” players, as they are neither actively growing renewables nor expanding their fossil fuel portfolios.

The second-largest cluster, which primarily featured bigger utilities with larger market shares in their respective countries, included companies that prioritized growth in renewables over other technologies. They represented 10% of all the utilities and 26% of the overall capacity. The study’s key finding was that 57% of these renewables-prioritizing companies had continued to invest in gas, coal, or both, while 80% expanded their commitments to gas generation by an average of 5%. About 35% increased investments in coal at a rate of 1%. While 34% of the renewables-prioritizing cluster showed negative growth in coal and gas, just 15% cut both from their portfolios. Around 16% of the cluster have 46 GW of gas projects in their pipelines, while 7% have new coal projects, adding up to 36.5 GW.

The third and fourth clusters identified were those prioritizing gas – 10% of utilities and 19% of capacity – and a smaller cluster prioritizing coal generation investment. This made up 2% of the companies and 5% of capacity.

Regional trends

The largest countries represented in the RE-prioritizing cluster were the United States (29%), Germany (13%), and China (10%). Europe and North America collectively accounted for more than two-thirds of the cluster. The highest growth in utility gas investments was seen in the Middle East region, while Asian utilities led investments in coal generation. Of the 15% that had reduced investments in both coal and gas, more than 40% were located in European countries.

Utilities prioritizing gas were spread across regions, with North America representing 30%, Europe 26%, and Asia 13%. The coal prioritizers, meanwhile, were overwhelmingly (82%) located in Asia, with China alone contributing 60%, India 9%, and Vietnam 6%.

Market liberalizations emerged as one driver for growth in utility-owned renewables. Regions where independent power producers and other non-utility actors have invested in solar or wind capacity also saw more activity on renewables from utilities. And the study also points to policy as an important factor, with more than 60% of the RE-prioritizing utilities located in regions with an active feed-in-tariff for renewable energy, and close to half in jurisdictions with some form of renewable portfolio standard. Of the already small number of utilities prioritizing coal, just 6% were located in regions with a carbon tax policy and 3% in jurisdictions with an emissions trading scheme in place.

Shifting priorities

In 2001, the beginning of the period examined, Alova notes that 18% of global operating energy capacity was covered by some form of RE promoting or fossil fuel inhibiting policy. By the end of the study in 2018, this had risen to 85%.

And when the 18 years studied are divided into six-year sub-periods, some evidence of shifting priorities can be seen. Between the second and third periods, 16% of previously gas prioritizing and 8% of coal prioritizing companies made their way into the RE-prioritizing group.

To gain an even more in-depth understanding of the relationship utilities have with renewables, Alova says that the relative price of the different technologies and the financial performance of the utilities would merit further study, and a closer look at the relationship between policy and the actions of utilities. “The effectiveness of a policy often depends on its design and complementarity with other instruments,” she explains, “rather than its mere existence.”

The majority of utilities studied grew neither their fossil fuel nor renewable energy assets during the 18 years analyzed. A market shift toward independent power producers and utilities acting as off-takers provides a possible explanation for this. Alova also notes that utility activities in energy efficiency, decentralization and other non-generation activities could somewhat change the picture.

The analysis conducted here, however, points to a major global trend of continued investment in fossil fuels from utilities, one which sees them lagging behind other players in the energy transition and taking the risk of these investments becoming stranded assets in the years to come.

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FRV buys 115 MW solar project in Australia<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Spanish developer Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) has reaffirmed its presence in the Australian renewable energy marketplace by adding the 115 MW Metz Solar Farm to its solar portfolio.

From pv magazine Australia

FRV announced on Friday it had purchased the Metz Solar Farm from Chinese-Australian BoS provider and project developer Clenergy. The move boosts FRV’s Australian operating and in-construction solar projects to eight, including four in New South Wales.

Carlo Frigerio, managing director of FRV in Australia, said the acquisition was “another high-quality project” which adds to the company’s expansion in Australia.

“Metz Solar Farm will help us to consolidate our portfolio in NSW and help the government to achieve their ambitious target of 12 GW of renewables and storage under the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap that they have launched recently,” he said.

To be built on a 2,946 hectare site near Armidale, the Metz Solar Farm will have a generation capacity of 115 MW (143.5 MWdc) and is expected to implement single-axis tracking, SMA inverter stations and tier-1 solar modules to generate enough energy to supply up to 40,000 homes. In addition, it’s estimated the annual greenhouse gas emissions reduced by the solar farm will be approximately 225,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

Construction on the project was originally slated for 2018 but it has faced numerous delays amid broad industry concerns about securely integrating new solar and wind projects into the grid.

Frigerio has previously said that delays due to grid connection issues, transmission constraints and construction costs “were typical issues that solar developers are generally facing in the market, but this is not impacting or expected to impact our committed projects”.

The Metz Solar Farm has already secured approval for its grid connection from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and a substation has been completed by Transgrid. The project is also underpinned by a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Snowy Hydro, signed in 2018 as part of the Snowy Hydro Renewable Energy Procurement Program.

FRV, part of Saudi Arabian operation Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, said it would now take the project on to financial close with construction expected to commence in the coming months.

The Metz Solar Farm delivers the third PPA with Snowy Hydro for FRV, adding to deals inked for the 90 MW Sebastopol and the 69.75 MW Goonumbla solar farms.

The Sebastopol project, located in southwestern New South Wales, is currently under construction while the Goonumbla Solar Farm, near Parkes, was completed in August and is now connected to the national grid. The 56 MW Moree Solar Farm rounds out FRV’s NSW portfolio of large-scale PV projects.

FRV’s website said the company also operates two sites in Queensland, the 125 MW Clare Solar Farm and the 100 MW Lilyvale Solar Farm, which is under construction. Also in the company’s portfolio is the 85 MWWinton Solar Farm in Victoria and the 125 MW Chaff Mill Solar Farm in South Australia.

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China’s ‘Liquid Sunshine’ project demonstrates PV powered methanol<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

A pilot project in China was brought online this month, combining 10 MW of PV with electrolyzers for hydrogen production and carbon dioxide hydrogenation to synthesize methanol. The methanol is supplied to the chemical industry, or can be converted back into hydrogen for energy use. And the project’s creators say their next goal is scaling the project up to 10 or even 100 times its current size.

Scientists led by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) in China have begun a large-scale project demonstrating PV powered production of hydrogen, which is then used to convert carbon dioxide into methanol. The demonstration project was certified by China’s Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation and is expected to run for 10 months, with plans for expansion further down the line.

The “Liquid Solar Fuel Production demonstration Project” combines a 10 MW PV array with an electrolyzer and equipment for CO2 hydrogenation. The electrolyzers utilize an undisclosed catalyst developed at DICP, which it describes as a “low-cost and long-lifetime electrocatalyst for alkaline water electrolysis.” According to the institute, the facility currently has capacity to produce 1,000 cubic meters of hydrogen per hour and requires less than 4.3 kWh of electricity per cubic meter.

Hydrogen is then used to convert CO2 into methanol, driven by another catalyst, this time a mixed metal oxide. DICP reports that the demonstration facility currently has capacity to produce 1,000 tons of methanol per year, reaching 99.5% purity.

Expansion plans

“Our overall goal is to eliminate CO2 emissions by utilizing CO2 as a carbon source alongside renewable energy,” DICP Professor Can Li told pv magazine. “The next plan is to expand the scale from 1,000 ton-methanol/y to 10,000 ton-methanol per year, or even a 100,000 ton-methanol per year.”

Methanol produced at the plant can be supplied to the chemical industry, or stored and used to produce hydrogen again. And despite the major expansion plans, Li points out that the project is ultimately a technology demonstration, and does not come with a detailed business model at this stage.

Large-scale, PV powered hydrogen production is gaining ground commercially, with projects announced recently in the Middle East and Australia, but still struggles with high costs and lack of infrastructure to make good use of the hydrogen. Using the hydrogen in CO2 conversion to methanol meanwhile, has shown promise but remains largely in the research stage.

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Jigar Shah: Policy action and tech deployments needed for power sector innovation<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

“We’ve averaged 2.4 cents a kilowatt hour for the last six months for PPAs. That’s actually too low. I think we would be fine at 3.4 cents… I don’t think that solar and wind industries would skip a beat [without their tax incentives], and they have other policy mechanisms.”

From pv magazine USA

“Once you get to a certain level of maturity of a technology, the only way to really achieve cost reduction is through deployment of that technology, and the more deployment that you put out there, the more micro innovations are allowed to come into the space,” Jigar Shah, the co-founder of Generate Capital, said during a discussion on deployment-led innovation for sustainable infrastructure hosted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Santa Clara Valley Sustainability Chapter.

Although deployment-led innovation is often aided by rebates and tax incentives that can pull down costs, these incentives can also outlive their usefulness.

“Solar and wind technologies are basically crowding out other technologies [because of the tax incentives they receive]… We are not going to decarbonize our entire economy without at least 50 to 100 technologies – not just two,” Shah said.

“We’ve averaged 2.4 cents a kilowatt hour for the last six months for PPAs. That’s actually too low. I think we would be fine at 3.4 cents… I don’t think that solar and wind industries would skip a beat [without their tax incentives], and they have other policy mechanisms,” Shah said.

Other technologies

In the power sector, there are lots of other innovative technologies – like anaerobic digesters, small-scale hydro, fuel cells, geothermal technologies and battery storage demand response load control technologies – just sitting on the shelf. Hydrogen, which is already a roughly $130 billion business globally, also doesn’t need much in the way of innovation at its most fundamental industry level, Shah said, pointing out that hydrogen is growing 4% or 5% a year.

Because hydrogen is used in the making of chemicals and fertilizer and in the processing of oil and gas, excess electricity that is turned into hydrogen can be shifted and sold into these other markets. For renewable developers, this can be helpful during a protracted low price cycle, and for industrial companies that are heavy emitters, this could help them transition to a low-carbon economy. Hydrogen’s exhaust is water.

Policy and follow-through matter

Right now, about half of the U.S. transmission system is used less than 30% of the time because the system was built out to be able to handle the greatest possible demand, not daily load. “We are spending $37 billion dollars a year now on building out new transmission and new distribution. Only about $14 billion of that is transmission; the rest is distribution,” Shah said.

“It [would be] cheaper to pay people to have flexible load that is controlled by a third party than it [would be] to build out more distribution lines… We just need to reform our grid into a whole new set of rules,” he said.

Similarly, on the solar panel and battery recycling side, an extended producer responsibility approach – which makes the manufacturers of future waste responsible for disposal on behalf of their customers – could help. “It’s far more cost effective for manufacturers to be forced to work together, to own recycling facilities in a joint fashion, where they try to greatly reduce the cost of all that collectively. That happens through policy. It doesn’t happen through people opting in,” Shah said.

“All of us [need] to recognize that politics is one thing, but policy is critical to all the systems that we interact with,” Shah said.

“The U.S. government procures $4 billion of electricity per year. They could actually sign a contract for probably 50,000 megawatts of PPAs for renewable energy using existing contracting. It would probably take three years of red tape to get it done, but I think it’s worth doing,” he said, explaining that a corporate PPA that the federal government can use for this has been around since 2007.

Follow through is also important. The Obama Administration said that the U.S. should buy all electric vehicles for its fleet, but not a single one was purchased, Shah added.

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Oxford PV’s German module factory backed by Brandeburg state with €8.8 million<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Oxford PV is currently building a manufacturing facility for its silicon perovskite tandem solar cells in Brandenburg an der Havel.

From pv magazine Germany

Oxford Photovoltaics (PV) Germany GmbH, the German unit of UK-based solar module manufacturer Oxford PV, is currently investing around €44 million in the construction of its factory in Brandenburg an der Havel, in the eastern German region of Brandenburg. The state Ministry of Economics in Potsdam is funding the project with €8.8 million.

“I am delighted that Oxford Photovoltaics has brought the solar technology developed by the company itself to market maturity and that it will soon start with industrial series production here in Brandenburg,” said Brandenburg Minister for Economic Affairs Jörg Steinbach. “The decision by Oxford PV to expand the production facility in Hohenstücke is a clear commitment to our community.”

Oxford PV is currently building a manufacturing facility in Brandenburg an der Havel for its highly efficient silicon perovskite tandem solar cells. The photovoltaic manufacturer acquired the Bosch factory in 2017 and has since operated a pilot line to bring its technology to market maturity.

Mass production is scheduled to start in the middle of next year, as CEO Frank Averdung recently told pv magazine. The production facility will initially have a capacity of 125 MW. The photovoltaic company wants to expand production by 2024 and then produce its highly efficient tandem cells on a gigawatt scale.

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Non-stop worldwide PV-powered yacht race<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

The ninth edition of the Vendée Globe began on Nov. 8 from the French port of Sables-d'Olonne, for a complete world tour without stopovers or assistance. PV panel maker Solbian equipped several competitors with its flexible products.

From pv magazine France

The ninth edition of the Vendée Globe began on Nov. 8 from the French port of Sables-d'Olonne, for a complete world tour without stopovers or assistance. Italian PV panel maker Solbian equipped several competitors with its flexible products.

The competitors include Didac Costa, who is competing in his second Vendée Globe. He has 780 Wp of solar panels mounted on his One Planet One Ocean vessel. And Boris Herrmann of Germany has a 1,149 Wp solar PV system by Solbian on his boat. It features two different types of cells, for a total weight of just 24.5 kg.

“The Solbian solar panels have proven to be very effective in preparing for the Vendée Globe,” Herrmann said. “Together with the hydro generator, they keep the boat's batteries charged, avoiding carrying fuel to generate electricity – which will directly contribute to racing performance. From an ecological point of view, the system will also play a crucial role in meeting this challenge without resorting to fossil fuels.”

Ari Huusela chose 390 Wp SP series panels for his Stark vessel, with rear contact cells capable of converting more than 24% of sunlight into electricity.

“In a competition like the Vendée Globe – a solo round the world race without stopovers or assistance – energy management is an important aspect, which is why we need solutions capable of withstanding the conditions. the most extreme, ” Huusela said. “The solar panels that I have installed have been designed and tested for the nautical industry, have a low weight and will be an essential source of clean energy to meet the consumption on board.”

Solbian  produces flexible solar panels at its factory in Avigliana, in the Italian province of Turin. Solbianflex panels are particularly suitable for sailboats, but they can also be used in e-mobility applications and motorhomes.

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Solar micro-grid with 1 MW/4 MWh of vanadium redox flow storage in South Africa<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Spanish renewable energy company Abengoa will deploy a 3.5 MW solar micro-grid at a vanadium mining site operated by Bushveld Minerals in South Africa. The storage system will be provided by Austria-based storage specialist Enerox Holdings Limited.

Abengoa will deploy a 3.5 MW solar micro-grid linked to a 1 MW/4 MWh vanadium redox flow storage unit at Vametco Alloys mine, a vanadium mine owned by South African vanadium producer Bushveld Minerals in North West, an inland South African province that borders Botswana.

The storage system will be provided by Austria-based storage specialist Enerox Holdings Limited, which is a unit of Bushveld Minerals. “This project is part of Bushveld's strategy to improve the stable supply of energy in the African continent, as well as to develop and promote the role of vanadium in the growing global market for energy storage through vanadium redox flow batteries, considered a general trend in long-term storage,” Abengoa said in a statement.

The project, according to the Spanish developer, is the world's largest hybrid solar plant incorporating vanadium redox flow storage.

“The hybrid mini-grid project will supply just under 10% of Vametco's electrical energy consumption at any one time and will demonstrate the technical and commercial capability of hybrid mini-grids using solar PV and VRFB technology,” Bushveld Minerals stated in a separate statement. “Technically, the system will be able to operate independently or jointly, either as standalone systems or as a fully functional mini-grid installation.”

Bushveld Minerals added that the project was structured as a separately funded independent power producer that will sell the electrical energy to the mine, and that it is aimed at reducing the mine's reliance on troubled South African utility Eskom. As a result, the Vametco hybrid mini-grid project installation will be one of the first solar generation projects with long-duration storage to be financed, off-balance sheet, in Africa.

According to the mining company, Enerox has installed more than 136 vanadium redox flow batteries and 23 MWh of energy storage capacity to date.

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Solar micro-grid with 1 MW/4 MWh of vanadium redox flow storage in South Africa<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Spanish renewable energy company Abengoa will deploy a 3.5 MW solar micro-grid at a vanadium mining site operated by Bushveld Minerals in South Africa. The storage system will be provided by Austria-based storage specialist Enerox Holdings Limited.

Abengoa will deploy a 3.5 MW solar micro-grid linked to a 1 MW/4 MWh vanadium redox flow storage unit at Vametco Alloys mine, a vanadium mine owned by South African vanadium producer Bushveld Minerals in North West, an inland South African province that borders Botswana.

The storage system will be provided by Austria-based storage specialist Enerox Holdings Limited, which is a unit of Bushveld Minerals. “This project is part of Bushveld's strategy to improve the stable supply of energy in the African continent, as well as to develop and promote the role of vanadium in the growing global market for energy storage through vanadium redox flow batteries, considered a general trend in long-term storage,” Abengoa said in a statement.

The project, according to the Spanish developer, is the world's largest hybrid solar plant incorporating vanadium redox flow storage.

“The hybrid mini-grid project will supply just under 10% of Vametco's electrical energy consumption at any one time and will demonstrate the technical and commercial capability of hybrid mini-grids using solar PV and VRFB technology,” Bushveld Minerals stated in a separate statement. “Technically, the system will be able to operate independently or jointly, either as standalone systems or as a fully functional mini-grid installation.”

Bushveld Minerals added that the project was structured as a separately funded independent power producer that will sell the electrical energy to the mine, and that it is aimed at reducing the mine's reliance on troubled South African utility Eskom. As a result, the Vametco hybrid mini-grid project installation will be one of the first solar generation projects with long-duration storage to be financed, off-balance sheet, in Africa.

According to the mining company, Enerox has installed more than 136 vanadium redox flow batteries and 23 MWh of energy storage capacity to date.

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Radiative cooling for CPV systems<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Scientists in the United States have tested soda-lime glass radiative coolers in a CPV system and claim these can reduce the device operating temperature by 5 to 36 degrees Celsius. This may result in an increase in the solar cell's open-circuit voltage of between 8% and 27%.

Scientists at Purdue University have demonstrated a CPV system integrated with radiative coolers which they claim can operate at a lower temperature and higher open-circuit voltage compared to common CPV devices based on gallium antimonide (GaSb) solar cells.

In their prototype, the researchers tested three different cooling structures under a range of wind speeds and solar heat loads. “We also conducted multiple outdoor experiments covering the worst and best possible working scenarios for radiative cooling to check the overall performance,” they explained.

Two soda-lime glass radiative coolers were deployed on both sides of the CPV system's heat sink. The test was conducted on a measurement platform consisting of three chambers equipped with a Fresnel lens with an effective diameter of six inches and aluminum mirrors. A first chamber contained the CPV device with the coolers and a second chamber hosted an identical system without the cooling tech. The first chamber had a sealed-chamber structure with top low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films, while the second had an open structure. The first configuration, according to the research team, reflected the zero wind speed working condition of CPV, as the LDPE film can cut off direct convection from the heat sink to ambient air.

Schematic of the three chambers used for the experiment.

Image: Purdue University

A third chamber only had a thermal power sensor to monitor the incident solar power.

“Upon direct solar heating, temperatures rose significantly in both chambers, thus reducing for both cells at different rates,” the scientists stressed. “More specifically, the temperature of Chamber 1 (with coolers) increased more slowly than the temperature of Chamber 2 (without coolers), as expected.” The average focused solar irradiance during the experiment was around 6.1 W, corresponding to a direct normal irradiance (DNI) of 1,019 W/m.

This ensured that the temperature in the GaSb cell range dropped by a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 36 degrees Celsius. “To our knowledge, the maximum temperature drop even outperformed some active air cooling methods,” the academics stated.

The temperature decrease provided by the cooling system has resulted in an increase in the cell's open-circuit voltage of between 8% and 27%. “The results clearly show that radiative cooling benefits all cases, despite variations in heat sinks and weather conditions,” they also specified.

The US group claims that the temperature drops provided by the radiative cooling technique may significantly improve the lifetime of CPV systems. “With radiative cooling, PV can work under higher solar concentrations at the same temperature, to potentially improve efficiencies and power outputs,” they concluded. “We hope that this work can help to motivate further studies on commercially relevant CPV cooling designs, as well as other systems, which may benefit from radiative cooling.”

The radiative cooling technique is presented in the paper Lightweight, Passive Radiative Cooling to Enhance Concentrating Photovoltaics, published in Joule.

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New AC module from Enphase, DMEGC<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

The new module series is available in five versions with power output ranging from 315 to 330 W and efficiencies of 18.67% to 19.56%. It incorporates Enphase IQ 7+ microinverters with a 96.5% European efficiency and 295 volt-amperes (VA).

US-based microinverter maker Enphase and Chinese industrial conglomerate and monocrystalline module maker DMEGC have launched a new AC residential product for the European residential market.

The DM330G1-60HBB-A module series is available in five versions with power output ranging from 315 to 330 W and efficiencies of 18.67% to 19.56%.

The 120-cell panel has dimensions of 1684 x 1002 x 40 mm,  a weight of 20.9 kg, and is covered with 3 x 2 mm glass. The operating temperature coefficient is -0.38% per degree (Celsius), while its operating temperature is indicated by the manufacturer at between -40 C and 85 C.

Open circuit voltage varies from 41.06 V, for the 315 W panel, to 41.57 V for the 330 W version, according to DMEGC. The panel can be used in PV systems with a maximum voltage of 1,000 V and comes with a 12-year product guarantee. It features an MC4-compatible connector and a junction box with an IP 67 rating.

The module also features Enphase IQ 7+ microinverters with a 96.5% European efficiency and 295 volt-amperes (VA).

“We see a promising future for our partnership with Enphase Energy in European countries, particular in countries like France and the Netherlands, where quality, innovation and aesthetics are key for residential PV solutions,” said Erik Das, sales director at DMEGC Solar Europe. “Enphase Energized AC modules offer remote monitoring, rapid shutdown, quality design, and simple installation. Their lower maintenance costs and high safety features are much appreciated in our competitive solar markets.”

Enphase launched another AC module in partnership with German manufacturer Sonnenstromfabrik in August. Earlier in June, it unveiled an AC product developed with South Korea-based manufacturer Hanwha Q Cells. Enphase had previously entered similar partnerships with Longi, Solaria, Panasonic, and SolarWorld.

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Japan’s sixth solar auction concludes with lowest bid of $0.095/kWh<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Around 368.8 MW of PV projects were allocated in the sixth round of Japan’s procurement program for large-scale solar. The lowest price offered was ¥10.00/kWh ($0.095) and the highest ¥12.00, for an average price of ¥11.49.

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has announced the results of the sixth auction for solar projects with a generation capacity of more than 250 kW.

The ministry said it has selected solar power projects with a combined capacity of 368.8 MW in the procurement exercise, after having initially accepted project proposals with a combined capacity of 526.5 MW for review.

The METI had originally planned to allocate around 750 MW of solar capacity in the auction and had set a ceiling price of ¥12.00 ($0.114)/kWh.

The 255 selected projects have a capacity ranging from 300 kW to 68.6 MW.

Slight decrease in average price

The METI has also revealed that in the procurement exercise the lowest price offered was ¥10.00/kWh ($0.095) and the highest ¥12.0 for an average price of ¥12.57.

In the fifth auction held in January, the lowest price offered was ¥10.99/kWh and the highest ¥13.0, for an average price of ¥12.57. The METI selected solar power projects with a combined capacity of only 39.8 MW in the procurement exercise, after having initially accepted 72 project proposals with a combined capacity of 185.6 MW for review.

In the fourth auction held in the summer of 2019, the lowest price was ¥10.50/kWh ($0.0988), while the highest price was ¥13.99 and the average price was ¥12.98.

In the third auction finalized in January 2019, the METI had selected seven projects with a total capacity of 196.6 MW. Average price was ¥15.01 ($0.137) per kWh, with the lowest bid ¥14.25 and the highest ¥15.45.

The second auction, in September 2018, was a bit more successful in terms of capacity, with around 197 MW and a lowest bid of ¥16.47. In another under-subscribed first auction held in November 2017, only 140 MW of a hoped-for 500 MW of capacity was awarded, at an average price of ¥11.49/kWh.

The main issue solar developers have to address in Japan is land availability – in part due to restrictions on the use of abandoned agricultural sites – and grid constraints.

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US system operator has 57 GW of solar in queue<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator's renewables mix is set for a shift from wind to solar, if it can confront the challenge of transmission costs.

From pv magazine USA

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) rarely makes headlines in solar, compared to other wholesale markets, but that might be changing.

Despite being the the oldest and largest regional transmission organization, it lags far behind the California Independent System Operator’s roughly 11 GW of solar capacity. However, if MISO’s 2020 queue of 57 GW of solar projects marked “active” is any indication, the territory could see record deployments in the coming years.

Not all of these projects will see the light of day, for a number of reasons. But if only a fraction of them are built, it would signal a major shift for a mostly wind-based MISO renewables market. More than one-quarter of the 200 GW of active projects in MISO’s 2020 generation queue are solar, but a little under half of them were projects proposed in the last year.

Today, there are only 314 MW of front-of-the-meter solar throughout the entire MISO footprint, which equates to about 0.2% of MISO’s 174 GW generating capacity. In terms of solar, the market is slightly ahead of western neighbor Southwest Power Pool, yet still behind PJM’s more than 1,500 MW of big solar.

According to Clean Grid Alliance, nearly 5 GW worth of projects were scrapped in MISO West, after they were approved, due to exorbitant transmission upgrade costs. One of the biggest challenges in the MISO interconnection queue is transmission costs – and how they are allocated.

An already low average electricity cost-per-kWh for ratepayers remains a barrier for solar in MISO’s southern reach, and utilities in the south simply have not committed to renewable energy goals like those in the north. Utilities often drag their heels rather than pursue more renewables, and this can be a problem with planning as well.

“In the end, Entergy New Orleans’ 20 MW self-build solar project was only approved once the utility dropped the transmission tie from the project, and found a distribution-only solution,” noted Logan Burke from the Alliance for Affordable Energy. “It was the policy priority of the Council for local renewables that drove that project home.”

If numbers in the queue are an indication, MISO South utilities like Entergy and Cleco would be set to change their energy mix in the coming years. Both Arkansas and Louisiana have up to 7 GW of solar projects, and roughly 500 MW of energy storage marked active in the queue.

Still, doubts remain. Entergy CEO Leo Denault indicated on Entergy’s 2019 third-quarter earnings call that the utility identified a need to build 5 GW to 7 GW of capacity in the coming years. However, much of this capacity will be gas according to Entergy Corp.’s IRPs, and Denault only seemed to imply that it could be renewables. Currently Louisiana and Arkansas have only about 200 MW of solar combined.

Plans to remedy MISO’s infrastructure will be needed, as will greater grid flexibility and demand response to be able to handle intermittent solar energy. It remains to be seen how large solar and storage projects can be developed in MISO without the savings being eaten up by transmission improvements. To ensure the economic benefits accrue to the ratepayers who are paying for it, is a matter of careful planning and also the accountability of decision-makers, and utilities within MISO.

Still, the number of projects in the queue indicates a positive trend and a change in business as usual.

Author: Andy Kowalczyk

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Australian miner unveils big solar ambitions<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Fortescue Metals has revealed ambitious plans to build one of the biggest renewable energy portfolios in the world, with more than 235 GW of capacity, or five times the current capacity of Australia’s National Energy Market.

From pv magazine Australia

Fortescue Chairman Andrew Forrest unveiled a new renewable energy strategy for the miner this week.

Forrest said the company’s Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) unit would challenge global energy majors such as Chevron and BP as an energy producer.

“We are building a portfolio of renewable assets, energy-producing assets around the world,” he said.

FFI will finance, develop and operate renewable energy projects, including green hydrogen and ammonia plants. Fortescue executives have already visited 23 countries to shortlist partners and plan to visit 24 more as they look to secure deals. Forrest said preliminary agreements have already been signed in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

“As each project rolls in we will be considering them on their merit and where we establish markets as we did for Fortescue, where we establish independent financing secured only against the assets, exactly like we did with Fortescue, then we will go ahead and finance and develop those projects,” he said. “With scale and innovation, we will be able to ramp up supply of green hydrogen and green ammonia to deliver low-cost energy reliably at industrial scale to customers all over the world.”

Forrest said the company’s initial target would be to have 235 GW of installed energy capacity. By comparison, BP plans to produce 50 GW of renewable energy by 2030, but has yet to provide a timeline.

“After scientific and personal analysis of the renewable energy resources of our little planet I can assure you that there is more than enough renewable energy to sustainably and economically supply every person on this planet from this time forth,” Forrest said.

“It is our job to respectfully use these readily available renewable resources and supply the world’s fuel and power at sufficient scale to satisfy the need for abundant, cheap, zero pollutant energy.”

Fortescue has committed to be carbon neutral by 2040. It has invested heavily in the transition to renewables, including the Pilbara energy project, which includes 150 MW of solar PV and large-scale battery storage. The company is also moving into green hydrogen in its mining operations, with plans to replace its fleet of diesel-fueled vehicles with hydrogen-fueled alternatives.

Forrest said he wanted to put Fortescue at the forefront of the coming “stampede” into renewable and green hydrogen and ammonia production.

“We know that if we’re going to meet and hit the Paris targets, we’re going to need a 70% reduction in carbon emissions,” he said. “I see that once we can create sufficient renewable energy and renewable fuels where — like the oil and gas sector – we can guarantee reliability of supply at volume and scale, there will be a veritable stampede into renewable energy and green industries.”

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New approach for convective solar module cooling<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

A US research team claims to have demonstrated that packing PV modules in close proximity can exponentially increase convective heat transfer of a solar park. The scientists analyzed three different module arrangements and compared them to the common row-organized panel configuration.

A research group from the University of Utah has proposed a new approach to improve the cooling of PV modules through convective heat transfer in large-scale solar power plants.

The U.S. scientists based their work on previous studies of land-atmosphere interactions and surface thermal heterogeneity and sought to assess how the plant design and configuration may have an impact on convective solar panel cooling. “We hypothesize that certain solar farm arrangements may enhance natural convective heat transfer between the solar modules and surrounding flow,” they stated in the paper Potential of module arrangements to enhance convective cooling in solar photovoltaic arrays, published in Renewable Energy.

The group used large eddy simulation (LES), a technique for simulating turbulent flows, to analyze three different module arrangements, and compared them to the common row-organized arrangement. “In the LES framework, an idealized solar farm is represented as a set of heated patches embedded in the ground surface,” it further explained.

The module grouping and row-spacing were analyzed in four configurations, which the scientists named baseline, scattered, distant, and compact. “The scattered, distant, and compact cases are designed to vary both the patch size and the density of patches within the solar farm.”

In all four plant configurations, the same amount of thermal energy is provided through the solar and ground surfaces. A thermal packing parameter, which the scientists marked with the greek letter φ, was used to characterize the four cases based on arrangement and thermal variations. “If all solar modules were packed together into one massive set with no spacing among modules, the associated φ value would equal 21.2, a comparatively large φ value,” the academics stressed. “However, if this large mass of solar modules was then separated, or cracked, into a sparse arrangement of individual modules with significantly large spacing, the φ value would approach zero.”

The baseline case with common module arrangement has the smallest value of φ, as the solar patches are the most cracked or sparse. “On the contrary, the compact case corresponds to the highest value of φ because of both the grouping of modules into large patches and the dense packing of these patches,” they added.

Their analysis showed that the compact case has a value of φ that is approximately 10 times larger than the baseline case. This, according to the U.S. team, demonstrates a 14.8% increase in the convective heat transfer coefficient over the baseline. It also ascertained that the compact case has the highest turbulent heat rate, while the distant case exhibits the lowest. “By reducing the inter-row spacing between the four patches, the compact case aggregates the coherent structures above the individual patches into a compounded, stronger plume,” the researchers highlighted. “Among the four idealized cases, the compact case most effectively transfers heat from the solar farm to the atmospheric flow and thus most effectively enhances convective cooling.”

According to them, a 14.8% in heat transfer coefficient may result in an 8.4% increase in electricity output at heat transfer coefficient values of 10 to 11.5 W /m2 K. “The results of four idealized study cases indicate that packing idealized solar modules in close proximity, which increases φ, can exponentially increase convective heat transfer of the solar farm,” they concluded.

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23.8% efficient tandem cells via slot-die coating<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

Scientists in Saudi Arabia demonstrated a slot-die coating process for production of perovskite solar cells from a specially engineered ‘ink’. Using the process, the group fabricated a perovskite/silicon tandem cell that recorded 23.8% efficiency.

Though perovskite solar cells have proved their potential in a plethora of lab experiments over the past decade, scaling these achievements up into mass production is something else entirely, and as a new technology, plenty of unanswered questions remain for perovskites in a commercial setting.

Slot-die coating (SDC), a process already used in various industries where an ink is pushed through a narrow slot as it moves across a substrate to form a continuous film, is among several techniques being investigated for perovskite solar cell production.

“As a community, we need to start looking at the stability and scalability of PSC technology,” explains Anand Subbiah, a postdoc researcher at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). “This high-throughput technique would allow for roll-to-roll fabrication, similar to printing newspapers.”

A group at KAUST investigated slot-die coating processes, aiming to develop a suitable perovskite ink for deposition onto a substrate. They developed a process coating substrates with the ink at a head speed of 15mm per second and a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. These cells are then annealed at 100 degrees Celsius for several minutes.

Hydrophobic

The biggest challenge they found was that a material commonly used as a transport layer in perovskite cells, polytriarylamine (PTAA), is also hydrophobic and repellent to the liquid ink, leading to problems with film quality and at the interface between the film and PTAA layer. Adding a surfactant to the ink mix, lowering its surface tension, offered a solution to this.

Ultimately, the group fabricated perovskite solar cells that reached 21.8% efficiency. They also demonstrated that, with a few adaptations, the same process can deposit the perovskite ink directly onto textured silicon to form a tandem cell. In the paper High-Performance Perovskite Single Junction and Textured Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells via Slot-Die-Coating, published in ACS Energy Letters, the group reports fabricating a perovskite/silicon tandem cell with 23.8% efficiency.

The group notes that there are still many more challenges to overcome in adapting such processes to large-scale production. The cells described in this paper are much smaller than commercial products (0.1cm² for the standalone perovskite cell and 1cm² for the tandem device), and covering larger areas while maintaining performance is not trivial.

“The development of scalable deposition techniques for perovskite solar cells is essential to bring this technology from the research labs to the market,” says KAUST associate professor Stefaan De Wolf. “Our next steps are making large-area devices and modules using our developed technology and testing their stability in the lab and the outdoors, while continuing to improve performance.”

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Hydrogen captured as a byproduct of polysilicon production<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

A Norwegian chemical company has received funding from a state-owned innovation hub to develop technology which enables the capture of hydrogen as a byproduct of the company's silicon production.

Hydrogen has been the talk of the year in the clean power industry, with green hydrogen strategies for the production and usage of the energy storage medium announced in the EU, Japan, Korea, Chile, and Oman, to name but a few. In those regions, solar panels will help generate electricity to power electrolysis of the gas but, one Norwegian company, is preparing to turn that approach on its head.

Chemical and silicon manufacturer Elkem Bremanger, which produces solar polysilicon, has received NOK4.4 million ($480,000) from Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment emissions reduction investor Enova to fund hydrogen capture technology. Elkem will supply additional funds to make up a NOK15 million budget for the project.

“The support for this project is given through our support program for thematic initiatives in the industry and is a good example of the utilization of energy resources that would otherwise be wasted,” said Enova market manager for industry Oskar Gärdeman. “If this project succeeds, it can pave the way for other industrial companies that have similar potential resources that they are not … able to utilize.”

The production of Elkem’s Silgrain product releases surplus hydrogen, according to the company. An Elkem spokesperson told pv magazine the company produces chlorine via electrolysis of brine. The chlorine is then burned with hydrogen to make hydrochloric acid in a process step which uses only a third of the hydrogen injected, with the rest of the gas going to waste.

Elkem believes it can capture and use 120 tons of hydrogen per year with its new method — enough to power 800-1,000 hydrogen-fueled passenger cars or a fuel cell-powered ferry. 

“The profitability of the potential project will depend on good utilization of the hydrogen plant [and] the amount of hydrogen sold as well as distribution costs and sales price for the hydrogen,” said Elkem Bremanger. 

A study of the project will be prepared next year with 2022 set for realization of the process. Elkem is working with independent research institute SINTEF to validate hydrogen quality and develop methods to capture and treat the gas for use. The project partners already claim the hydrogen would be suitable for passenger vehicles once dried and compressed.

“This is an important project that, in the long run, can contribute to the establishment of a nationwide infrastructure for hydrogen which eventually will result in substantial emission reductions in the transport sector,” said Steffen Møller-Holst, vice president for marketing at SINTEF. “The hydrogen resource at Elkem Bremanger is attractive in that even in an initial market, with a limited number of end users of hydrogen, a hydrogen price can be achieved that is competitive with fossil fuels for use in transport.”

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Making the Distributed PV Different , Interview with Zhang Yingbin, Head of Global Product strategy and market of Trina Solar<br> Lắp đặt điện mặt trời Khải Minh Tech<br> http://thesunvn.com.vn<br> 0906633505<br> info.khaiminhtech@gmail.com<br> 80/39 Trần Quang Diệu, Phường 14, Quận 3<br> <a href="http://thesunvn.com.vn">lắp đặt điện mặt trời</a><br> https://ift.tt/2ZH4TRU

After successful launching of its Vertex series PV module products with super high power output in past several months, Trina Solar, the leading PV module maker has made another solid step in the residential rooftop field. On November 3rd, the company officially launched its latest Vertex S module which is particularly designed for the residential market. Just after the new product release, PV Magazine took the chance to interview with Dr. Zhang Yingbin, Head of Global Product strategy and market of Trina Solar and figured out more information about this new product, what are the differences from previous products and the main characters? Here below is the transcript of this interview.

PV Magazine: Mr. Zhang, thank you for acceptance of this interview. I know that Trina has already module product for residential market and that’s why I am a little bit curious why Trina launches this Vertex S module?

Zhang Yingbin: First I would like to talk about our design purpose of this Vertex S. Since the start of grid parity of PV, we saw a very promising solar PV market in future with estimated global annual installation up to 150 GW or even more in coming years. Meanwhile the distributed PV is taking bigger and bigger share of the total PV market. However, there was no any module which was particularly designed for small distributed PV including residential and C& I rooftop PV. The Vertex S of Trina Solar might be the first particularly customized PV module for this segment. Besides, as Trina is launching more and more module type based on 210mm wafer, we can also make a good small-size module product with 210mm wafer for our (distributed PV ) customers.

A particularly designed PV module for distributed PV market?

Yes, we have seen an obvious trend for modules with bigger and bigger power output like 535 W, 600 W and even more. But these bigger modules are fundamentally for utility scale power plant. They are not suitable for distributed PV which mainly on rooftop. Because for rooftop PV, no matter C&I and residential rooftop, the requirements of weight, dimensions, appearance and installation flexibility are quite different from those of utility scale PV. For example, the bifacial module type of 535 W weights about 32 kg for Dual-glass type and 28kg for backsheet type. However, in many places of Europe the installation restriction of weight is no more than 50 lb. for each manpower, which is about 22.7 kg. This means the present large power module product is not only hard to handle, but also illegal in installation operation by one person.

Another thing is the dimensions of the module. We were told by many of our European and Australia customers that they don’t want modules with length over 1.8 meter. Why? Because the limited size of roof slope, if the length is longer than 1.8m, it will be hard to install three rows and this will greatly reduce the utilization efficiency of the rooftop.

The third point is the appearance which usually is not an issue for those on utility scale PV but very important for distributed PV. We saw all kinds of cell and module technologies were used on module only for better performance, no any consideration of appearance. However, appearance is very important for distributed PV. For example, for some rooftop PV on terminal buildings of airport, reflection is forbidden, and black or at least dark color is required.

Installation flexibility is also critical for distributed PV and especially for residential rooftop PV. For those small rooftops of households, smaller module is with much higher installation flexibility than bigger ones. That’s our design purpose and the major concerns of Vertex S which I do believe is a best choice for distributed PV segment with changeable and complex scenarios for installation.

We know there are many module makers promoted module types for residential rooftop PV market, what is the difference between Vertex S and them?

As what I have said previously, the Vertex S might be the first PV module which has fully considered all related influential factors to distributed PV area, especially the residential PV. According to our calculation, Vertex’s major competitors including normal 60 pcs and/or 72 pcs module types in 158.75mm or 166 wafer sizes are with lower power output, which usually were 340 W or 370 W. While Vertex S is with 405 W. The new module product with 182mm wafer in 60 pcs and 72 pcs are with much bigger dimensions, either longer than 1.8m or heavier to over 50 lb, and will make the rooftop installation risky and expensive. Furthermore, Vertex S is with the highest conversion rate of more than 21% and our competitors are with typical 20.5% around.

— Rooftop installs using the Vertex S over other modules (158 @ 340W and 166@370W) on the market today will have around 10%~23% more capacity on the same area (case study in Shandong ,China ,Typical rooftop size :5.3m*16.7m in Shandong Province, China), equivalent to around 1.58~1.91KW based on a standard residential rooftop installation. The lifetime electricity generation will be up to 10%~23% higher than conventional modules.

Besides the Vertex S also attaches those characters of Vertex series, and with some upgrade. We provide 15 years’ product warranty for module quality, longer than previous 12 years. And for performance guarantee, we provide less than 2% for first year and averagely less than 0.55% in following years, which will have about 2% more power generation within lifespan.

So what are the values the Vertex deliver to your customers?

First for certain roof of either C&I or residential house, especially those with small size but complex shapes, Vertex S could provide more installation capacity than conventional products which make the PV plant more power generation and better financial performance. Second we provide better warranty conditions for Vertex S. And because of the smaller dimensions, transportation cost is significantly cut off since each container can load more pieces. Our calculation shows to cut off by 30-40% in Europe region. Meanwhile the easy installation would also reduce balance of system (BOS). Furthermore, our black modules would bring a more beautiful appearance.

So how will you promote the Vertex S module?

In domestic market of China, we will launch this new module together with our Trinahome and Trinablue solutions for our end users. While in overseas market, we now plan to promote the Vertex S module by our distribution network and start from high-end markets like Europe, Japan and Australian market first, A US launch is slated for next year, according to oversea capacity plan in the US market, and then spread to global markets like India, LAC gradually.

What capacity Trina Solar planned for Vertex S module?

We launch this product in late 2020, and in 2021 we will have 4-5 GW capacity prepared for Vertex S. And in 2022, the planned capacity will be about 8-10 GW. For future capacity I think it will depend on the market situation.