Risen Energy leads race to deliver 500W solar modules, cut system costs

Chinese solar company Risen Energy has signed a supply contract with Malaysian lightning and surge protection company Tokai Engineering to provide 20MW worth of its new 500W, high efficiency solar PV modules.

The newly launched solar PV modules use 210mm monocrystalline silicon wafers which Risen claims can reduce the balance-of-system (BoS) cost by 9.6% and the levelised cost of energy (LCoE) by 6%, while also increasing single line output by 30%.

“We’re greatly honored to be able to provide Tokai with the 500W high-efficiency modules, which feature several advantages,” said Risen Energy global marketing director Leon Chuang.

“As the world’s first provider of 500W modules, we are confident of and competent at taking the lead in the era of PV 5.0. We will stay committed to an R&D approach focused on low-cost, high-efficiency products as well as solutions that meet market demand.

“We also look forward to cooperating with more partners to help the PV industry embrace a new era of mass-produced high-output modules,” Chuang said.

Tokai Group CEO Dato’ Ir. Jimmy Lim Lai Ho said his company expected the delivery and implementation of the modules to achieve a lower levelized cost of electricity and a higher level of income from the power generated.

“Risen Energy is leading the industry in embracing the era of PV 5.0 with the 500W high-efficiency modules based on cutting-edge technologies,” he said.

But Risen is not the only solar manufacturer with a 500W panels in the works. Chinese solar giant Trina Solar announced earlier this month that it had started taking orders for its new range of high efficiency PV modules – the Duomax V and the Tallmax V.

Intended to deliver more than 500W of power and with module efficiency up to 21%, Trina Solar likewise expects its new solar modules to cut costs for large-scale solar generation, in this case by up to 4%.

The Trina Solar Duomax V and Tallmax V solar panels use the PERC solar cell designed which was pioneered by the University of New South Wales and will test the industry standard 300W solar panels competitiveness moving forward.

Others are following not far behind, with Jinko Solar last year unveiling its 460W Tiger PV module and Canadian Solar launching its 450W HiKu module on the Australian market this month.