Application Watch: Higher conversion efficiency priority in solar panel module production

Suppliers of solar panel modules in China are expected to produce more thin-film types, in addition to monocrystalline and predominantly polycrystalline units.

Sustained growth of the solar energy market continues to drive development in its upstream sectors. In the solar panel module industry, suppliers are emphasizing product initiatives to realize higher conversion ratio at lower cost. They remain focused on thin-film technology, which has become popular lately.

Efforts over the years have led to much thinner cells. Thickness is now at 80 to 100µm from 450µm in the 1970s. This has greatly reduced the silicon used per megawatt to between eight and 10 tons from 20 tons, and lowered overall costs.

There are also breakthroughs such as the silver solar cells introduced by Origin Energy of Australia. These cells are superslim at 70µm and highly flexible, and offer an enhanced conversion efficiency of 19.5 percent.

In China, manufacturers of solar panel modules leverage the availability of thin-film cells based on GaAs, CIS and CdTe materials. Types based on the last have seen the fastest growth because of their high theoretical conversion efficiency and stability, and a relatively simple production process.

ASRE, a company established by SolTech Energy Sweden AB and Advanced Solar Power Hangzhou, began operating a self-developed CdTe thin-film solar panel module production line in 2018. Its annual output is 40MW.

By 2023, China's thin-film solar cell yield will hit 5,749MW from 1,191MW in 2017, according to statistics from China IRN Research.

Globally, solar panel module output posted steady growth exceeding 20 percent before 2018. The rate slowed to 13.7 percent in 2018 and went down further to 7.4 percent the following year, according to the Qianzhan Research Institute.

China's industry benefited more during the period, being the source of up to 70 percent of the worldwide requirement. It produced 85.7GW in 2018 or 14.3 percent higher than in the preceding year, and 98.6GW in 2019 or a further increase of 15 percent. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, China's exports in January and February 2020 dropped by about 30 percent.

Most companies, however, remain optimistic of a turnaround in the coming months and are counting on a 5 to 10 percent growth in the next two years.

Seasun New Energy Co. Ltd will maintain its current production level and is looking to raise it by 5 to 10 percent in 2021, anticipating local and overseas market recovery. Solar panel modules account for 40 percent of its shipments.

Hundreds of suppliers make up the solar panel module industry in China, and most are locally owned small and midsize businesses. More than half of the country's output comes from 10 key companies, nine of which are homegrown. These include Jinko, JA, Trina, Longi Solar, Risen Energy and GCL, with the first three among the world's top players.

The manufacturing pool is spread across Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces. New entrants to the sector are expected to continue flocking to these areas.

Mono-, polycrystalline types

Mainstream solar panel modules from China companies use monocrystalline and polycrystalline cells. Those based on polycrystalline cells dominate output because of price advantage. Suppliers, however, plan to bolster the share of monocrystalline models for their higher conversion efficiency and as quotes go down. Thin-film types will grow in the years ahead.

Typical products have 15 to 20 percent cell efficiency and 3 to 340W maximum power, with an operating temperature range of -40 to 85 C, and come in IP65- and IP67-rated variants. Some have salt mist and ammonia resistance, such as the P6-50 polycrystalline model from TCI Ecology & New Energy Tech Co. Ltd.

Most makers offer models with CE, CEC, IEC and TÜV approval, besides being RoHS-compliant.

Customization is widely accepted.

Components and materials, including solar cells and aluminum frames, are sourced locally. Some suppliers manufacture their own solar cells.

The supply of these manufacturing inputs remains steady, but costs fluctuated in recent months. Despite this, the majority of companies kept their product prices flat. Others chose to lower quotes by 5 to 10 percent to boost competitiveness.

All this is projected to stabilize in the coming months and through 2021.

The products in this gallery have been handpicked by our China-based market analyst for representing current trends in solar panel modules from China makers.

Monocrystalline solar panel module rated at 300Wp

Rated at 36.4V, 8.24A, the model MBT-M 300W-$5586 monocrystalline solar panel module from Maybat New Energy (Guangdong) Co. Ltd has an efficiency of 17.1 percent. The unit, with 300W rated peak power, has 44.8V open-circuit voltage and 8.75A short-circuit current, and operates in -40 to 85 C. It complies with CE, TÜV and IEC standards.

An order of at least 1 carton has a delivery lead time of 10 days.

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Solar panel module with 19.2% efficiency

Model HY185P-0623 solar panel module from Seasun New Energy Co. Ltd has 185W peak power. At maximum, its operating voltage is 36.4V, operating current 5.08A and system voltage 1,000VDC. The polycrystalline module with 19.2 percent cell efficiency has 44.4V open-circuit voltage and 5.49A short-circuit current. It has an operating temperature of -40 to 85 C.

The minimum order of 10 units is for delivery within 5 days.

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Solar panel module with IP65, Class A ratings

TCI Ecology & New Energy Tech Co. Ltd markets the model P6-50 solar panel module, which boasts 17.2 percent efficiency. The IP65-rated unit, with a Class A rating, has a maximum system voltage, current and rated power of 700V, 2.85A and 50W. It uses 156x52mm polycrystalline cells, measures 700x510x30mm and weighs 4.5kg. The operating temperature is -45 C to 80 C.

The 100-unit minimum order has a delivery lead time of 7 days.

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Polycrystalline solar panel module rated at 95, 100, 105W

This polycrystalline solar panel module from Zhejiang TTN Electric Co. Ltd, the TTN-P100-12-2296 model, comes in variants with 95, 100 or 105W rated power. The IP65-rated unit meets CE and TÜV standards.

The minimum order of 20 units is for delivery within 15 days.

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