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Zhang Yingbin, Trina Solars Global Product Strategy Manager, talks to pv magazine about the path to a supply chain dominated by TOPCon n-type products. He claims that Trina Solar will reach 30 GW of TOPCon solar module capacity by the end of 2023.
Zhang Yingbin : 210+N series products have outstanding characteristics such as low temperature coefficient, low photovoltaic attenuation, high bifacial rate, low freshman attenuation and linear dimming, and also adhere to the advantages High power output, high efficiency, high power generation and high reliability of the Vertex family, which module power is 30W to 70W higher than n-type competitors on the market.
Efficiency improvement and cost reduction are the eternal themes and the unremitting pursuit of the entire photovoltaic industry. Trina Solar led the alliance of modules over 600W, which has established a strong alliance in the industry chain with high power output, high conversion efficiency, high reliability and low cost of electricity. The combination of 210mm wafers and n-cell technology will boost the performance of the modules. Compared with 182mm wafer products, 70W more power will be generated per piece of panel, and the efficiency is around 0.2% higher. At the same time, the low voltage design can increase the string power with the same string voltage.
Regarding power generation, according to our verification study of more than half a year duration with TUV and CPVT in areas with different latitudes, the experimental data has shown that the 600W-plus product based on 210mm wafers can increase the power generation gain between 1.6% and 2.1%, which is mainly due to the better low irradiation performance of the 600W-plus product. The latest sales data also reflects the growing popularity of 210mm products. As of Q3 2022, nearly 76 GW of 210mm modules have been delivered globally, of which Trina Solar has delivered a cumulative total of 40 GW.
The 210+N series includes different products. What applications are these panels intended for?
At present, Trinas main n-type products are the new generation Vertex N 605 W, Vertex N 695 W and Vertex S+ 445 W. The Vertex N 605 W module is suitable for utility-scale power plants and for some C&I distributed photovoltaic systems, and adheres to the advantages of Vertex family, with high power, high efficiency, high power generation and high reliability, etc. The highest output power reaches 605W, compared with competitive n-type modules on the market, the power is increased by up to 30W, and the module efficiency reaches 22.4%. Based on 210mm (210R) rectangular silicon wafer cell technology, with extreme shape design and low voltage advantage, the n-type 605 W module makes perfect use of the 104 meter track support length. Compared to the industrys standard 72 and 78 n-cell modules, you can string 6 to 12 more modules in each string, without wasting length. It is the “best partner” for follow-up support. This can help reduce the cost of the BOS.
The Vertex N 695W module has significantly higher power, 70W more than similar general n-type competitors on the market. The efficiency has also been increased up to 22.4%, and it is perfectly suitable for various utility-scale power plants. Ultra-low attenuation for the entire life cycle of the power generation escort, optimized bifacial power generation performance to bring higher bifacial revenue, ultra-low operating temperature coefficient makes power generation safer, along with The innovative low voltage, high power design to achieve higher string power, bring the cost of electricity to a new lower level.
Vertex S+ is for rooftops and some C&I scenarios, specially designed for European and Asian homes based on EU and Asian regulations. Measuring less than 1.8 meters and weighing less than 22 kg, this 1.6mm+1.6mm double glass module is accessible for one person to move around alone.
Does Trina Solar have an efficiency roadmap for the 210+N series?
Trina Solar started n-type solar cell research in 2015. We built a 500 MW pilot line in 2018 with the promotion of the PV Top-Runner Program. In 2022, our total capacity of 8 GW of n-type has a mass production efficiency of around 25%, with the hope that the efficiency will rise to 25.5% in 2023 and 26% in 2024 with annual increase. average of 0.4-0.5%.
Does Trina Solar plan to increase the capacity of this series of modules?
In the second half of 2022, Trina Solar began mass production of the new generation of 210+N module products, and by the first quarter of 2023, Trina Solar will have a total of more than 10 GW of module capacity of type n, which is expected to grow to 30 GW by the end of 2023.
Trina Solar has established a new 210+N production plant in the Integration PV Industrial Park located in Xining, Qinghai Province. The new production base is expected to have an annual capacity of 300,000 tons of silicon metal, 150,000 tons of high purity polysilicon, 35 GW of ingot casting, 10 GW of wafers, 10 GW of solar cells, 10 GW of photovoltaic modules. and 15 GW of auxiliary materials for modules. We plan to complete all construction and commission all capacities by the end of 2025. The company is also investing in building 15 GW of solar cells and 15 GW of PV modules per year in Huaian, Jiangsu province.
I believe that production capacity will increase rapidly along with the rapid acceptance of the 210+N by the market. Also, vertical integration will eliminate the shortcomings of the p-type era of unexpected bottlenecks.
How will Trina Solars switch to n-Type technology affect the industry and market?
The 600W+ concept has become a worldwide consensus. By the end of 2022, a total module capacity of 90 GW had been reached for 210mm based products, and penetration grew to 10% and is now targeting a 30% market share. We believe that the 210 and 600W+ are collaborating in a new ecosystem of the industry value chain.
The concept of 210+N is in a way an extension of 600W+, which will become the trend of the entire solar PV industry. As you know, not only TOPCon, but also HJT and IBC can be based on the technology platform of 210mm products.
What do you think of future technological development? Will TOPCon compete with heterojunction?
I think the 210+X is the address. There are more cell technologies than n. 210+N solves the ecological problems we faced before, such as glass, junction box, frame, bracket, etc., and greatly reduces duplicative investment in the industry.
Those that fit the four highs and one low (higher power, higher efficiency, higher power generation, higher reliability, and lower LCOE) will become mainstream. |
