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TERRENUS ENERGY

Manufacturing

Megasol reveals new solar PV in-roof system

Megasol’s Nicer X modules are available as black and translucent versions. Image: Megasol

Swiss module manufacturer Megasol has unveiled a novel rooftop PV system in two variants — full-black and translucent. The installation consists of vertical supports, a ridge profile, and solar modules.


From pv magazine

Swiss solar module manufacturer Megasol has released a new in-roof system that it claims can be used to deploy homogeneous and flush-fitting rooftop PV installations.

The Nicer X in-roof system is available in two versions — the full-black and the translucent variants. The first system relies on 400 solar modules with a power conversion efficiency of 21.7%, black cell gaps, cross-contacts, and rear busbars. The second solution utilises larger, transparent cell spacing enabling light to penetrate by around 10%. Both solutions comprise three components: vertical supports, a ridge profile, and solar modules.

Megasol head of communications Michael Reist said installation is a simple process with the first step involving the screwing of the vertical supports directly onto the existing roof battens after the old tiles have been removed. In the case of a new building, reduced roof battens can be installed. In the second step, the ridge profiles are clicked and modules can be installed.

“The modules are laid completely without tools, they are pushed up to the upper stop and then closed, similar to a trunk lid,” Reist said. “An audible click and a corresponding haptic feedback confirm that it is securely locked in place.”

The Megasol Nicer X system. Image: Megasol

Reist said it is also possible to visually check whether the solar modules are securely fixed. With the manufacturer’s snap-lock fasteners, the modules can easily be attached and detached several times.

According to Megasol, 20 square meters of the Nicer X substructure and solar modules could be deployed by one person in an hour.

The manufacturer also offers matching eaves grilles for the system if required. The system is also claimed to be completely rainproof from a roof pitch of three degrees, which is achieved by a double labyrinth seal.

Megasol said the system is not only suitable for in-roof photovoltaic systems, but also for solar parking lots, canopies or facades. Existing parking spaces could be retrofitted and, in the case of facades, the system is particularly suitable for hall-like buildings or steel structures. In the case of non-insulated hall constructions, no further facade elements are necessary and the trapezoidal sheets can be left out completely.

Author: Sandra Enkhardt

Chinese PV Industry Brief: LDK to invest in 600 MW HJT solar cell factory as price of polysilicon soars

A production line run by LDK. Image: LDK

A Chinese metals industry group said the price of polysilicon is rising, just as Comtec Solar revealed that it is gearing up to sell off its shuttered wafer factories in Shanghai. Flat Glass, meanwhile, has announced plans to expand solar glass production capacity.

From pv magazine

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association says the price of polysilicon has risen to CNY 226 ($39.90) per kg and may continue to rise due to strong demand. Last week, prices of M10 and G12 wafers remained stable at CNY 6.79 and CNY 9.12, respectively. But given the current polysilicon supply glut, they could also increase. In addition, earthquakes in Sichuan province on Wednesday affected three ingot casting factories, with a total capacity of 36.2 GW. In turn, lower production rates could have a negative impact on wafer production and wafer prices.

LDK, a unit of Haiyuan Material, plans to invest CNY 355 million in a 600 MW factory for of n-type heterojunction (HJT) solar cells. It said it chose HJT rather than TOPCon because it doesn’t have any PERC capacity that could be directly upgraded to TOPCon. The factory will be built in Xinyu, Jiangxi province.

Flat Glass has announced plans to raise up to CNY 6 billion via a private share issuance on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company wants to use CNY 4.2 billion of the proceeds for two solar panel glass production projects, together valued at CNY 8.1 billion.

Comtec Solar says it wants to sell off its shuttered wafer factories in Shanghai for CNY 180 million. Shanghai Pudong Zili Color Printing Factory, a pharmaceuticals packaging producer, has reportedly agreed to buy seven factories from the developer.

Authors: Vincent Shaw & Max Hall

Gamesa Electric presents new central PV inverter

Gamesa Electric has unveiled the new Proteus central PV inverter. Image: Gamesa Electric

Gamesa Electric’s new Proteus PV inverter represents an upgrade over the previous Gamesa Electric 3X series. It has an output of up to 4,700 kVA and is compatible with DC/ESS interfaces for the connection of storage energy systems

From pv magazine

Spain’s Gamesa Electric has launched a new central inverter solution with an output of 4,700 kVA. It said that the Proteus PV inverter is an upgrade over the existing Gamesa Electric 3X series.

The Proteus central inverter can be deployed in four configurations and can be combined with DC-coupled storage and AC storage. It can also be used for the conditioning of electrolyzers in green hydrogen generation.

“Proteus is related to the mythological figure that represents flexibility, speed, versatility and also has the ability to foresee and anticipate the future,” said Enrique de la Cruz, sales director of solar and storage at Gamesa Electric. “These are characteristics with which we feel very identified since they are part of the DNA of our solutions. In fact, one of the reasons why we consider this denomination so appropriate is that Proteus links perfectly with our motto: shaping new energy.”

The 1,500 V inverter solution has an efficiency rating of 99.45% and a European efficiency rating of 99.24%. It features Gamesa Electric’s CoolBrid cooling technology, with liquid cooling and forced-air cooling. Liquid cools the inverter bridge and grid filter, while forced air cools small components such as switches and fuses. The liquid is changed every five years. The outdoor design is rated at IP55, and operates at up to 60 C.

Gamesa Electric claimed to have achieved market-leading maximum power point tracking (MPPT) efficiency. It said the MPPT voltage ranges from 835 V to 1,300 V. It has also claimed that the inverters offer best-in-class total harmonic distortion, with THDi at the 50th order reported at 0.7%.

It said it chose “Proteus” as the name of the new product “from more than a hundred alternatives proposed by the company’s workers.” The inverter won one of this year’s prestigious Intersolar Awards.

Author: Tristan Reyner

Chinese PV Industry Brief: Jolywood, Jinko expand polysilicon capacity

A production line at Jolywood’s new cell factory. Image: Jolywood

In other news, Canadian Solar revealed it shipped 14.5 GW of solar modules in 2021 and China Power said it installed 1.22 GW more solar generation capacity last year.

From pv magazine

Module manufacturer Jolywood Solar announced on Wednesday that it signed a strategic cooperation and investment agreement with the government of Taiyuan City, in China’s Shanxi Province, to build a silicon metal and polysilicon factory. The total investment should amount to around RMB14 billion ($2.22 billion). The new manufacturing plant will have an annual production capacity of 200,000 MT for silicon metal and 100,000 MTs for polysilicon. The factory will be owned 51% by Jolywood and 49% by the city government. The facility should be built in two phases and be fully operational by the end of 2024.

Panel maker JinkoSolar announced it sealed a framework agreement with the Xining Municipal Government and Xining Economic and the Technological Development Zone Management Committee for the development of a joint monocrystalline silicon pull rod project. According to the agreement, Jiangxi Jinko plans to build monocrystalline silicon pull rod production lines with a total annual production capacity of 30 GW in Xining City, Qinghai Province. The total investment is estimated at around RMB10 billion, the company said in a statement. “This project will be constructed in two phases. In the first phase, Jiangxi Jinko plans to build a production line with an annual production capacity of 20 GW, with an estimated investment of approximately RMB7 billion. The construction of the first phase will commence in April 2022. In the second phase, Jiangxi Jinko plans to construct a production line with an annual production capacity of 10 GW in 2023 to 2024 with an estimated investment of approximately RMB3 billion.”

PV module provider Canadian Solar (CSI) shipped a total of 14.5 GW of PV modules in 2021, with a YoY growth of 28%, according to financial results published on Thursday. While company revenue increased by 52% to total US$5.3 billion and resulted in an earning per share of US$1.46. CSI also shipped a total 896 MWh of storage systems in 2021. CSI estimates its module shipment in Q1 of 2022 to reach between 3.6 and 3.8 GW, with revenue of around US$1.25 to US$1.35 billion. For the whole of 2022, CSI’s present estimation for module shipment is 20 to 22 GW and revenue of US$7 to US$7.5 billion.

Energy company China Power yesterday published full-year results for 2021 indicating it installed 1.22 GW more solar generation capacity last year while removing 1.2 GW of its coal plants, as soaring coal prices dragged the company into a loss-for-shareholders of RMB516 million (US$81.2 million). The company sold 7.09 TWh of solar electricity, 49% more than in 2020 – with associated businesses selling a further 108 GWh – for an average tariff of RMB0.469/kWh (US$0.074), down RMB0.103/kWh (US$0.016) from the previous year as subsidies were phased out. Nevertheless, China Power’s solar business posted a RMB574 million (US$90.3 million) profit as the coal operation lost RMB2.08 billion (US$327 million), with the utility stating: “The results of the group’s coal-fired power segment turned from profit to loss-making, dragging on the overall performance of the company.”

Polysilicon manufacturer GCL-Poly on Wednesday told the Singapore Stock Exchange its offer to buy back up to US$53.4 million of its own 10% senior notes, due in 2024, at a slight discount, had been oversubscribed. Payment was set to be settled yesterday, to leave US$443.5 million of the notes outstanding. GCL’s solar project division on Wednesday announced the sale of another seven PV parks, with a total generation capacity of 85 MW, to state-controlled power and engineering company Jiangsu Hesheng. Although the sale will book GCL New Energy a RMB35 million (US$5.51 million) loss, it will generate RMB311 million (US$48.9 million) to pay down debts and will remove RMB354 million (US$55.7 million) in liabilities from GCL’s books, even accounting for unspecified, RMB1.18 million (US$186,000) “rectification costs.” The details of the sale, announced to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, noted 2.62 MW of the solar generation capacity was in “unregistered projects.”