Solar Panel Torture Testing: Jinko & Trina Do Well

August 1, 2017 2024-01-25T11:00:29 by 4 Comments
DNV-GL reliability scorecard

Now you know what the those DNV-GL engineers *really* get up to in their secret European HQ…

DNV-GL’s PV Module Reliability Scorecard Report for 2017 is out1 and gives some fascinating results.  You can follow that long link in the previous sentence to download your own copy of the report, but for your benefit, I’ve included my own unique analysis below, where I will give my interpretation of the results in 2,000 words or less.

Or possibly more.  I’ve only just started writing so don’t really know just how many words I’ll require, but if it looks like I’ll go over my self-imposed limit I can just leaveoutsomespaces, so it’s not really a problem. [Read more…]

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What is a PERC Solar Panel?

July 28, 2017 2024-01-25T08:01:09 by 20 Comments
perc solar panel

34 years after it was invented ‘PERC’ is now a big deal in solar panel technology. But what the hell is it?

Update 16th April 2019:  Many PERC panels have suffered from LeTID deterioration problems since this article was written.  This article here goes into the problem and this article on the MC Electrical blog covers it in detail and gives information on which PERC panels are resistant to LeTID.

Solar panel manufacturers crave efficiency.  I’m not talking about the labour efficiencies they receive from building new production lines that are robot-heavy and people-light, although they like those too. [Read more…]

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Chinese Company ‘Tesla New Energy’ Steals Tesla’s Name And Logo

July 13, 2017 2017-07-13T14:59:38 by 3 Comments
screenshot

The ‘Tesla New Energy’ website yesterday.

Many people are aware Tesla is planning to produce solar tiles, but not so many know the company is also has plans to sell conventional solar panels.  According to one report, Tesla is going to follow the novel approach of producing them inside a buffalo in New York.  Production is scheduled to begin within two months and the panels will only be available from Tesla.

The panels are not featured on Tesla’s Australian site and I currently have no information on when or if they will be available here.  But if you do enough searching on the internet or, more likely, receive some spam from them as I did, you may think you can order some of these panels from the Tesla New Energy factory in China. [Read more…]

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P-Type And N-Type Solar Cells’ Excellent Electron Adventure

June 29, 2017 2024-10-03T08:51:50 by 8 Comments
p-type and n-type

Do you know the difference between a P-Type and N-Type solar cell, duuuuuude?

When it comes to material for making solar cells, silicon is the most bodacious of all the elements.  Its market share is an excellent circa 97%1.  If you want solar PV, there is next to no choice other than silicon.  However, there is more than one type of silicon cell, which is fortunate for people who enjoy faffing about when deciding what to buy. [Read more…]

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China’s Plan For Solar World Domination: The ‘Top Runner’ Program

June 27, 2017 2024-06-04T15:23:22 by 6 Comments
Chinese dude holding a solar cell

China’s Solar Top Runner Program – What The Hell Is It?

China is the world leader when it comes to manufacturing and installing solar panels.  [Read more…]

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Phono Introduces MWT Panels:  A Dotty Idea For Improving Efficiency

June 14, 2017 2017-06-23T15:42:52 by Leave a Comment
robin and a phono MWT solar panel

Phono Solar have only gone and drilled holes in their new solar panels…

If you want a solar cell to produce electricity then it’s important to let the sunshine in.  Specifically, into the solar cell.  Not letting the sunshine in is a bad idea.  Despite how very important this is, most solar cell manufacturers place a fine metal wire grid on top of their cells that blocks around 5% to 6% of sunlight falling on them, for no other reason than they don’t work without it.  It appears the metal grid is necessary to make electrical contacts required for current to flow. [Read more…]

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LG Introduces 20.8% Efficient LG NeON R Panel With 25 Year Replacement Warranty

May 25, 2017 2018-03-15T19:51:31 by 10 Comments
LG NeonR

LG’s NEoN-R panel is very good, very well warranted and very expensive.

LG Solar has introduced a new high efficiency solar panel they call the LG NeON R. [Read more…]

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An Apology To USG Solar Panels

April 28, 2017 2017-04-28T19:10:46 by 10 Comments
use panel and aliens guy

Whatever you do, never expose a USG Universal Solar Panel to light.

I would like to humbly apologize to USG solar panels, or to give them their full name, Universal Solar Group. [Read more…]

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REC Launches TwinPeak 2S 72 Series Solar Panels

April 26, 2017 2017-04-28T16:28:15 by 10 Comments
REC TwinPeak 2S 72 Series solar modules

REC is half cut again – TwinPeak 2S 72 Series

Touted as the “highest power 72-cell multicrystalline solar panel in the world”, REC has announced the start of production of its TwinPeak 2S 72 Series modules.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News, Solar Panels

Don’t Buy Second Hand Solar For Your Home

April 13, 2017 2024-10-03T09:51:24 by 41 Comments
second hand solar shop

You’ll Pay A High Price For Second Hand Solar Equipment

“Psssssst!  Wanna buy some slightly used solar panels?  They fell off the back of a truck.  Or possibly off the back of a roof.  Maybe they even fell off the back of a roof of a truck.  We just don’t know.  But what I do know is they are tier one panels in great condition – they didn’t fall far – and they’re cheap, so if you are looking to install rooftop solar you’d be a fool not to buy them, right?”

Wrong. [Read more…]

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