“Another giant stride” for lower cost solar as 700W module gains certification

The global push to deliver solar modules with ever-higher efficiency and power outputs continues, and lower cost of power generation, with China’s Risen Energy claiming a world-first for achieving certification for its 700W series of panels.

Risen says its 210mm, 700W heterojunction Hyper-ion series has been tested and certified by TÜV SÜD, making it the first company around the world to hit this important mark for a high-efficiency product with ultra-thin wafer.

The solar manufacturer says that with a power output of up to 700W, cell efficiency upwards of 25.5% and module efficiency of 22.53%, the Hyper-ion promises to reduce the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of solar projects by 10% compared to PERC modules.

The industry-wide race to increase the power wattage of solar modules is relentless, with the global standard for large-scale solar modules jumping from 500W just a couple of years ago to 600W in 2020-21 and now 700W.

In October of last year, fellow Chinese giant Trina Solar was gearing up to certify its 670W Vertex series PV module for use in the Australian market, at that time topping the country’s utility-scale solar panel offerings on both power and efficiency.

Risen Energy’s senior director of R&D, Yafeng Liu, says the company’s milestone certfication of the 700W panel series is the result of two years of “unremitting efforts” from the team.

“During this period, we overcame a lot of technical challenges to achieve this critical innovation breakthrough for the solar industry,” Liu said.

“The TÜV SÜD certification validates the superior performance, stability, reliability and safety of the Hyper-ion series, which features ultra-thin 210mm silicon wafers, 24-busbar design, alloy steel frame, as well as a number of Risen Energy’s patented designs and technologies.

“With its industry-leading advantages, we believed this product will help solar systems to achieve ultra-low CO2 emissions, reduce the overall costs and improve returns for investors, making a significant contribution to a long-term reliable and affordable power supply.”

Zhulin Zhang, operation director and chief technical certifier of TÜV SÜD Smart Energy says the introduction of Risen’s Hyper-ion series marks “another giant stride” in the evolution of solar technology.

“The Hyper-ion series provides a solution to meet the rising demand of high efficiency and large wafer PV modules for solar plants,” said Zhang.

“Certification of the 700W solar module assures customers that performance, safety, reliability, and cost of the product meet the challenges in the solar sector, further reducing the cost while boosting the power generation.”