The bigger the module, the bigger the ROI? Let’s crunch the numbers!

Is bigger always better? Had this year not already been dubbed the year of Covid-19, the solar industry might have remembered 2020 as the super-high-power modules year. Since March, there have been manufacturers’ announcements of modules with power ratings of more than 500W or even 600W.

Seasoned solar professionals did not take long to claim that these high-power ratings were achieved chiefly by increasing the form factor of the modules rather than efficiency leaps.

While it is true that the new benchmarks have been primarily achieved due to bigger surface spaces on modules, the effect on power plant economics cannot be scorned. Our initiative partner for this upcoming pv magazine Webinar, Maxeon Solar Technologies, will discuss how EPCs and developers can maximize output and return on investment for their next project using these latest generation modules.

The company was recently spun out of SunPower Corporation, continuing the module design and production of the SunPower-branded high-efficiency interdigitated back contact and shingled module lines sold in over 100 countries globally. The company’s application engineer Sevi Gultes will take the stage and discuss the nexus of product reliability and return on investment. Cell cracking, PID, and unfavorable diode design are all factors that can negatively impact a project’s economics. With not just modules having grown in size, but cells also, Sevi will share her knowledge on how larger format wafers have made a positive impact on module performance.

Robert Chew, an application engineer with Maxeon, will give us a deep dive into the numbers and present a case study from the APAC region. Robert looks back at over 19 years of professional experience in the PV industry, helping to grasp how the industry trend toward more massive and more powerful panels has been driving down the LCOE of large-scale solar installation. Additionally, Robert will also discuss how some of the reliability and quality issues that could break the bank can be mitigated.

Joining Maxeon in this webinar is technology provider Terabase Energy. The company runs artificial intelligence over utility-scale solar projects to obtain crucial data across a project’s entire life cycle. Co-Founder and VP for Business Development & Partnerships, Pierre Gousseland, looks back on more than a decade of experience in the renewable energy sector and a background in engineering.

Terabase sees the advent of large form factor PV modules as a positive development for the industry, as they drive further reductions in installation and BOS costs. However, their impact on system design, construction, and performance needs to be thoroughly weighed and quantified. During this pv magazine Webinar, Terabase will share some insights acquired while supporting customers navigating the complex landscape of PV module selection and procurement over the past few years.

pv magazine Webinar content

• Overview of the spin-out of Maxeon Solar Technologies from SunPower Cooperations
• How can EPCs and developers maximize output and ROI?
• Discussion of industry trends toward larger, more powerful solar panels
• Impacts of panel reliability and quality
• Case study presentation
• Q&A

Questions can be submitted beforehand or during the webinar through a chat window. Marian Willuhn from pv magazine will be the moderator of this webinar.

Registration for this pv magazine Webinar is free of charge.