REC Group has announced it will launch a “trail-blazing” new solar panel at Intersolar Europe in May 2019. Other details are vague, but REC said it will be the “world’s most powerful solar panel” for rooftop customers. The new panel combines heterojunction cells (HJT) with SmartWire Connection Technology from Meyer Burger.
Meyer Burger released its own 60-cell HJT module with SmartWire connections in 2017 at a company “Technology Day” that reached 334.9 W with a 23.5% efficiency.
“Our new flagship product will deliver significantly better power density and will fundamentally change the competitive balance between REC and Tier 1 players, opening up a big power gap far beyond what is available today,” said REC CEO Steve O’Neil.
With HJT cell technology, REC can combine the benefits of crystalline silicon solar cells with those of thin-film technologies for much higher efficiency and electricity yield. Panels can be manufactured without the higher temperatures of other methods, which simplifies the process and reduces energy consumption.
Matthew Wright says
Except perovskites are not stable.
Here is the research I’ve done on it.
https://pure-electric.com.au/media/newswire/perovskites-promising-not-stable-190417
Solarman says
Interesting, increasing light capture efficiency by about 1% while using less energy to manufacture each panel. So, if these panels are manufactured using solar PV, just how cheap can one manufacture these panels without the overhead of a monthly electric bill? Could it then be possible to get the price per watt down to the 25 cents/watt? Down to 15 cents/watt? Could the REC Group get rid of the aluminum frame, yet keep the rigidity of framed solar PV panels?
There has been research with “spray on” perovskites that create a “stacked” cell that can absorb more of the light spectrum to generate power. Could this be done here and get another 2% or more power harvest from the sun?
Phillip Hawkins says
I am curious to see what significant increase in power efficiency this solar panel can create. I think the perovskites “inkjet” solar cells have a great deal of potential in the future. All buildings should be cover in photovoltaic type materials in the future to eliminate the need for resource consuming power plants. With these latest developments I am hopeful.