REC launches production of TwinPeak 5 solar modules, shipping by Christmas

Global solar outfit REC Group has started production of the fifth generation of its award-winning TwinPeak residential PV panels, building on the module line’s patented split cell and junction box technology.

REC says the TwinPeak 5 Series feature an improved power output of up to 410W, with 132 half-cut monocrystalline p-type cells with multi-busbar connections – and could land in Australia before Christmas.

The company’s TwinPeak 4 Series, which was launched into production in March of 2021, had a nominal output of up to 375W-peak.

Like its predecessors, the TwinPeak 5 Series is available in both white and black backsheet variants and has a 30mm thin frame and support bars in the back that allow the modules to withstand heavy loads and rough weather conditions. The panels are being manufactured in Singapore.

Norwegian roots

REC, which was founded in Norway in 1996, first introduced its split cell and junction box technology in 2014, setting a new industry standard.

The company, which is now owned by Mumbai-headquartered Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, has made a name as one of the world’s leading premium solar panel manufacturers.

According to Solar Choice, REC solar panels have proven to be more resilient in corrosive coastal conditions – common in Australia – and are tested independently to higher standards than most panels.

When the new series of TwinPeak panels will become available in Australia remains to be seen, but REC says it expects first shipments to arrive in Asia-Pacific in December.

They follow the October arrival in Australia of REC’s latest Alpha Pure-R panels, also targeting the residential market.

Featuring heterojunction (HJT) cells in the larger G12 format in a patented panel design, the Alpha Pure-R delivers power output of up to 430W while still keeping the module under two square metres.

“We made a bold move in 2019 by introducing REC Alpha as our first HJT product, in 2021 by launching the lead-free and RoHS compliant Alpha Pure, and now we are changing the game again,” said Jan Enno Bicker, CEO at REC Group, at the time.