LONGi has launched a new solar panel designed for durability and reliability in hail and windstorms. The Hi-MO 5 Ice-Shield module is a dual-glass bifacial panel that uses thicker top-glass than traditional modules.
Unlike standard bifacial dual-glass PV modules that typically use 2-mm of heat-strengthened front and rear glass, LONGi’s new Ice-Shield module uses toughened safety glass technology, the same material that protects cell phone screens from breakage, with a 3.2-mm integrated top layer of tempered glass. This new design enables the Ice-Shield module to withstand up to 55-mm hailstones (approximately the size of a billiard ball) striking at a speed of 33.9 meters per second, compared to a traditional dual-glass module that may fail after impact from greater than 25-mm to 35-mm hailstones (approximately the size of a quarter to a half dollar) striking at a lower speed. Additionally, in contrast to the IEC standard of 25-mm hailstone at 23 meters per second, the Ice-Shield module can withstand up to approximately 17-times the impact energy, the company claims. According to third-party testing, the Ice-Shield modules showed no visual defects and almost no power degradation after impact from a 55-mm hailstone.
“As the climate crisis causes more extreme weather patterns, like high winds and hail, we need innovation to help harden our critical infrastructure against these threats,” Eric Luo, LONGi Group Vice President and Head of North America Business Center. “Over the past few years, we’ve seen how sensitive our energy grid and legacy power stations have been to extreme weather, and just recently we saw the substantial impact of hail on solar in Texas. That’s why LONGi is leading the way with its Ice-Shield module that is specifically designed to protect grid stability and asset value.”
With its frame being the main load-bearing component, the new Ice-Shied module is reinforced with 6005-T6 high-strength anodized aluminum alloy material that provides a yield strength of up to 3,600-Pa wind loads, which is equal to 171.33 mph winds, with mainstream trackers. Hailstorms are often accompanied by winds at or even above 120 mph (53.6 meters per second). Confident in the reliability and durability of its new Ice-Shield module, LONGi is offering a 12-year product and 30-year power warranty.
In addition to the module’s improved reliability, the new Ice-Shield module maintains the Hi-MO 5 module advantages of a 2.2% power generation increase and 0.9% BOS cost reduction compared to competitive bifacial transparent backsheet modules.
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