Hardware: Q Cell and Solaria all black, Sunfolding’s summer body, NY sheep services, more!

Hardware, get your fresh hardware! SunPower is releasing energy storage, solar module pricing looks flat, and make sure to shake pv magazine hands as we walk the floor at Solar Power International in Salt Lake City next week!

Solaria - SolariaPowerXT® 370Wp

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Love that racking is getting to be such a large, and important industry – with its very own, and powerful, learning curves. There was a point in my career where I told people racking is, “just some metal that sits there”. I was wrong. – “The upgraded Sunfolding T29 uses the same durable materials and advanced manufacturing processes that enable Sunfolding, with just three components, to achieve significantly faster installation times and lower operational costs than traditional trackers, which have a much higher part count. The upgraded Sunfolding T29 features a stronger and lighter actuator that relies on half the actuator bolts, weighs 20% less, and requires 15% fewer posts per MW compared to its predecessor.” Source – Sunfolding (image below from Twitter)

 

The innovation is simple: they get rid of the white spaces on the solar module by putting in more silicon. That’s it. So sweet. “Gapless solar module prototypes. The Q.PEAK DUO BLK ML-G9 is an all-black module composed of 132 gapless half-cells with 12 bus-bars. With the use of larger M4 wafers and a gapless design that enables the addition of 12 more cells than the usual 120 half-cells, the Q.PEAK DUO BLK ML-G9 can deliver maximum power output of up to 380 Wp, as well as industry leading efficiency of up to 20.2%. Accompanying the Q.PEAK DUO BLK ML-G9 will be its larger gapless cousin, the Q.PEAK DUO XL-G9.2 – a prime module for ground-mounted solar plants thanks to its 156 half-cell composition that delivers a maximum output of up to 455 Wp and efficiency of up to 20.6% with only a slight increase in module size.” – Source – Q Cells

And I celebrate Hanwha above getting rid of the white space, but…you know…that’s kinda Solaria’s thing since day one. That’s their solar modules as the lead image on this article. Why exactly would you want a weird looking asphalt roof anyway, when black is the thing to be. “SolariaPowerXT® 370Wp, PowerXT® 365Wp-AC, and PowerXT® 440Wp panels for residential and commercial applications, combine industry-leading power and efficiency with unparalleled aesthetics. A greater than 20% efficiency, sleek Pure Black™ design with no visible circuitry, and proven reliability backed by a 25-year warranty.” Solar is showing the new module off at SPI next week, see you there. Source – Solaria.

 

A little birdie suggested to me that SunPower’s newly launched Equinox system looks like a white labeled Enphase Encharge system – which is probably great for both companies: “Equinox Storage is made specifically for the company’s Equinox Solar solution, the only fully-integrated residential solar system designed, engineered, and warranted by one company.” The system is sized up to 12 kWh – Source – SunPower

 

Watch out for SolarEdge at SPI, they’re showing off a bunch of commercial and residential products: “At Solar Power International, SolarEdge is previewing a new version of its 120kW three phase inverter with synergy technology that is designed to enable quick and easy installation and inventory management. SolarEdge will also launch a new commercial power optimizer with two MPP trackers that connects to up to four modules. The new commercial inverter and power optimizer are expected to be available in the beginning of 2020.” Source: SolarEdge

 

Need sheep grazing services in New York state, check out Agrovoltaic Solutions and their flock in the below video. Article found on New York Upstate.

 

PV InfoLink had an article noting a generally buoyant feeling in the solar supply chains this week, suggesting upwards pressure on pricing possible due to strong demand…but I’m not seeing price increases here. So maybe volume coming online is keeping pricing in check. Also note, that PV InfoLink is saying 14 GW of China demand expected in Q4, add that to the 11 GW in H1, and we’re at the 25 GW that the GCL Poly guy suggested for the whole year of China. What’s the Q3 number?

 

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