Word that until in any other case famous, this text focuses on photo voltaic panels using crystalline silicon (c-Si) cells – by far the commonest sort of cell at the moment utilized in photo voltaic panel manufacturing.
It’s no shock that as photo voltaic PV has grow to be mainstream over the previous 30 years, enhancements in know-how have led to super positive factors within the energy a single photo voltaic panel can produce. What’s a shock is that in that point, photo voltaic panels’ dimensions haven’t elevated all that a lot regardless of positive factors of over 7x in a single PV panel’s energy output. This speaks to the details that:
- As a result of photo voltaic panels are actually simply collections of PV cells, a photo voltaic panel’s energy output is primarily decided by:
- What number of PV cells the panel accommodates, and
- The effectivity of these cells
- A photo voltaic panel’s dimensions (bodily dimension) are primarily decided by:
- What number of PV cells the panel accommodates, and
- The scale of the silicon wafers utilized in these cells
Small, Medium, Giant, and Additional Giant Measurement Photo voltaic Panels
Earlier than we get too particular, let’s get generic. There aren’t any formal definitions or onerous and quick guidelines round photo voltaic panel dimension and what makes a specific module “small”, “medium”, “massive”, or “additional massive.” However from a freight transport standpoint, something over 8 linear toes usually incurs an over-dimension surcharge, so we’re going to make use of that as the brink for “additional massive” photo voltaic panels. Word that as a result of we’re speaking about transport right here, an merchandise barely smaller than 8′ will incur an over-dimension cost if the pallet it ships on (together with the packing materials used to guard it) measures over 8′ (that is exactly the case with the Q CELLS DUO XL-G10 475/480W modules, coming quickly to altE Retailer).
Usually talking, which means that we will take into consideration early-generation photo voltaic panels (which generally function 36 cells) as “small”, the 60- and 72-cell modules which have dominated the trade for the final decade as “medium” and “massive”, and modules with greater than 72 cells as “additional massive”.
Click on the picture to enlarge.
In fact, there are exceptions to many guidelines, and we do have a number of right here. Please word that:
- Many photo voltaic panels right this moment use half-cut cells to scale back resistive energy loss and are sometimes marketed as having 120 or 144 cells, however are in impact nonetheless 60- or 72-cell modules and would subsequently fall into our medium or massive dimension classes. Though…
- Some 72-cell panels using M6 or bigger wafers are XL photo voltaic panels by our length-based definition (see under for extra on wafers).
- Curiously, some 96-cell panels aren’t lengthy sufficient to incur over-dimension transport charges as a result of their cell preparations are 12×8 and never 16×6 – that means they aren’t longer than 72-cell panels, simply wider.
In abstract, photo voltaic panels over 8′ in size (or panels that ship on pallets over 8′ in size) are thought-about additional massive photo voltaic panels.
What to Know About Additional Giant Measurement Photo voltaic Panels
Additional massive photo voltaic panels have implications for installers and DIYers planning PV methods. Although not overly frequent but, XL dimension photo voltaic panels are right here to remain. What does this imply for you?
- It isn’t doable for somebody to put in them – and even transfer them round – with out the assistance of at the very least one different individual. Plan your set up accordingly!
- It isn’t doable to put them flat in a 7′ truck mattress and be capable of shut the tailgate.
- They’re lengthy sufficient that they incur an over-dimension price from most freight corporations, that means transport is costlier – significantly when ordering in small portions.
- They’re additionally lengthy sufficient that fork extensions are wanted to maneuver pallets of them with a forklift.
- Their further weight and size in comparison with medium and enormous panels might require totally different racking merchandise and configurations than you’re accustomed to.
- Although the width and particularly the size dimensions are growing, there’s no indication that the thickness of modules’ frames might be growing (and no motive we should always count on them to), that means the identical widely-available, time-tested photo voltaic panel clamps which were available on the market for years will proceed to be suitable with additional massive photo voltaic panels.
How Did Photo voltaic Panels Get so Huge?
PV cells’ effectivity has improved slowly and steadily over the previous couple of a long time. Within the mid-Nineties, efficiencies approaching 15% had been on the slicing fringe of photo voltaic cell know-how. At the moment, efficiencies of 29% have been achieved in laboratory situations, whereas numbers within the low 20% vary have gotten the usual for contemporary commercially obtainable modules. We’re prone to see extra effectivity enhancements within the coming years earlier than the theoretical effectivity restrict of single-junction c-Si primarily based cells at round 30% (often called the Shockley-Queisser restrict) turns into an actual impediment.
Uncooked silicon is melted and formed into lengthy ingots, that are then sliced into paper-thin wafers that type the spine of photo voltaic PV cells.
PV cell effectivity enhancements have are available many varieties, however the one associated to the bodily dimension of the cell is the silicon wafer the cell is constructed round. Within the Eighties and early Nineties, wafers measuring 100mm sq. had been the usual dimension. Within the mid-Nineties, 125x125mm wafers turned the brand new commonplace, and people had been finally changed by 156x156mm wafers (which was often called an “M0” wafer and thus started a brand new silicon wafer naming conference that at the moment extends all the way in which to 217×217 mm wafers recognized “M12+”).
In tandem with the rise in photo voltaic cell effectivity (and dimension), the variety of cells per module has additionally elevated over time. 36-cell modules had been the primary commonplace dimension, and are nonetheless generally used as 12V “off-grid” panels. 60-cell modules finally turned the usual and are nonetheless being manufactured right this moment, with 72-cell modules finally changing into an extra commonplace – and the go-to for industrial and utility-scale photo voltaic initiatives.
At the moment, with customers’ ever-increasing demand for electrical energy and incremental enhancements in photo voltaic cell energy manufacturing, we’re seeing increasingly more highly effective panels hit the market. Usually talking, this can be a good factor for customers as it may well facilitate decrease system prices on issues like racking, mounting, and steadiness of system elements – as long as the elevated prices of transport and labor are fastidiously thought-about when buying additional massive photo voltaic panels.
Sources
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/15045/1/JPL-FSA-10-YEARS-OF-PROGRESS.pdf
https://weblog.ibc-solar.com/2019/12/from-m0-to-m12-different-wafer-sizes-in-the-market/
https://sinovoltaics.com/solar-basics/solar-cell-production-from-silicon-wafer-to-cell/
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/02/15/hanwha-q-cells-begins-selling-its-solar-panels-based-on-m6-wafers-in-europe/
