Solar modules from Sharp with half-cut technology exceed 19.5% efficiency

The Japanese electronics giant has unveiled three monocrystalline half-cut cell modules said to provide 2% to 3% better performance than standard, full-cell panels. The claimed efficiency of the modules exceeds 19.5% and Sharp says power output ranges from 330 W to 395 W.

January 14, 2020 Emiliano Bellini

Sharp says its new half-cut cell line offers advantages over rival, full-cell products.

Otsu4/Wikimedia Commons

Japanese electronics giant Sharp Corporation has launched a new PERC monocrystalline PV module series based on half-cut cell technology.

The product range features three five-busbar modules which the company claims can offer a yield increase of up to 3% compared to full-cell rivals.

Sharp claims the smaller 330-watt, 120-half-cut cell module offers 19.5% efficiency and weighs just 19.5 kilograms, making it particularly suitable for commercial and industrial applications. The manufacturer said the other two 144-cell panels – with power outputs of 385 watts and 395 watts – are recommended for large rooftop or ground-mounted projects. Those 23-kilogram products are said to have an efficiency of 19.6% along with a 1500-volt system voltage.

“With the addition of 1400 mm cables that enable leapfrog wiring and [which] reduce balance-of-system costs, this module is the ideal choice for major industrial projects and power plants,” said the company.

Advantages of half-cut technology

Sharp said the three modules – which comply with IEC61215 and IEC61730 standards – are beneficial in projects with shady conditions, and added that half-cut technology helps decrease temperatures compared to standard cell technology, as well as lowering the risk of hot spots.

“The half-cut cells can still generate a 50% performance with the upper half of the module, even when the lower half is shaded,” the company noted.

In April, the Japanese manufacturer launched three PERC monocrystalline modules with a claimed conversion efficiency of 19.1%. The conglomerate achieved 25.09% conversion efficiency in 2018 from a cell using heterojunction and back-contact technology, as certified by the Japan Electrical Safety and Environment Technology Laboratories.

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