The panel shown in the press release is a typical type of [email protected] series with an output power range of up to 700W. The panel is based on a 210mm N-type wafer, using a 6 plus 11 half-cut layout, with a size of 2384mm plus 1303mm and an average conversion yield of 22.5%. However, with the use of a steel frame, the weight of the panel is “slightly (2-4%) higher” than the previous type with aluminum frame.
Senior R&D Manager Liu Yafeng introduced the new product’s features and specifications to more than a hundred professionals and industry representatives who attended the release. According to Liu, the new alloy steel frame is stronger, more rigid and adapts to the climate than the conventional aluminum frame. More importantly, steel production was found to emit much less carbon than aluminum production, for example the energy cost was reduced by 3 times, which made the steel frame a better choice in a rapidly growing solar photovoltaic world.
In addition, compared to 2.67 times the coefficient of thermal expansion between aluminum and glass, the coefficient of thermal expansion between steel and glass is only 1.3 times, which greatly reduces the risk expansion with temperature changes. This will greatly help the PV module product adapt to different climates around the world.
As more solar PV modules are deployed for a cleaner energy supply, the cost of aluminum has risen rapidly. The international price of aluminum rose more than 70% to peak last October compared to January. And it also drove up the total cost of the solar system.
Risen said for his last [email protected] series product, compared with conventional aluminum frame type, M10 (182mm wafer) 580W module type with alloy steel frame can save up to 8.69% BOS (Balance of System) cost and up to 5.95% the LCOE. Risen said that its main high-power products from TITAN and [email protected] the series will use alloy steel as the frame in the future.
