CECEP Reveals 2017 Achievements of Double-Glazed PV Modules: DomesticSales of about 2GW with Industry-Recognized High Reliability

ZHENJIANG, China, March 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --  In 2017, double-glazed PV modules have a domestic sales of about 2 GW and a global sales of about 3 GW. Among those modules sold, single-sided ones are predominant. With double-sided double-glazed PV modules being increasingly recognized by the market in 2018, it is estimated that such modules will have a double sales this year, namely about 3.5GW - 4GW. CECEP Solar Energy Technology (Zhenjiang) Co., Ltd., is ready to provide customized and colorful double-glazed modules based on this information.

It is industry-recognized that double-glazed modules have a high reliability (resistant to PID, snail trail, subfissure, sandstorm, salt mist, etc.). In such areas with severe natural conditions as relatively wet southeast China and windstorm-raged northwest China and in case of such projects as fishery-integrated PV project and floating PV power plant project, high-reliability double-glazed modules seem to become the first choice. Many module manufacturers almost simultaneously focus their attention on double-glazed PV modules. Such characteristic products as Trina Solar's double-glazed PV modules with clear or white EVA, Almaden's 2.0mm double-glazed PV panels and CECEP's PVB double-glazed modules are highly favored by the market.

Structural features of double-glazed modules can explain their advantages, such as high reliability, high energy output, high fire-protection rating and high system voltage. These exact advantages enable such modules to be applied in a wider scope.

In fact, the double-glazed module is first applied to Building Integrated PV (BIPV) and the main product applied in the early stage of BIPV is exactly double-glazed modules. In BIPV projects, PV modules, as part of a building, are required to meet not only PV performance requirements, but also requirements in such aspects as architectural mechanics, fire protection, artistry, lighting and sound insulation. Without doubt, double-glazed PV modules can meet all these requirements. Specifically, such modules can be made in different colors and thus used as a PV curtain wall, which is very pleasant to the eyes; such modules can be made with a hollow structure to be used for thermal or sound insulation and thus are applicable to buildings or sound-proof walls; such modules can be made with different light transmittances varying with lighting requirements of buildings.

In CECEP's ready-to-start Jiangsu Yangzhong 0.7MW BIPV Power Generation Project (including two parts, namely 0.27MWp curtain PV works and 0.445MWp rooftop PV works), single-crystal PERC double-glazed PV modules (60-cell and 40-cell) customized by CECEP Solar Energy Technology (Zhenjiang) Co., Ltd. are to be arranged in a crosswise way for a PV curtain wall. With those modules, the Project will have a more beautiful outlook and indoor lighting will be kept adequate.

On top of that, compared with the most common EVA and POE double-glazed PV modules, PVB ones occupy a more advantageous position in terms of application to PV buildings. Why? Because it is required in the Technical Code for Application of Solar Photovoltaic System of Civil Buildings that double-glazed PV modules used at curtain wall, lighting roof, sun shield, guardrail should have a interlayer made of PVB. PVB film has a high aging-resistant performance and has been applied to buildings for over forty years.

However, high material cost, high difficulties in process, poorness in equipment matching, etc. are stumbling blocks for mass production of PVB double-glazed PV modules. CECEP Solar Energy Technology (Zhenjiang) Co., Ltd. thus has made continuous efforts in technical R&D, made technical breakthroughs and developed high-efficiency equipment jointly with equipment manufacturers to improve the above-mentioned situation. Finally, CECEP Solar Energy Technology (Zhenjiang) Co., Ltd. has becomeChina's first enterprise that brings mass production of PVB double-glazed PV modules into reality. Technical breakthroughs in PVB double-glazed materials and equipment make the cost as low as the cost of common double-glazed materials and equipment, significantly improving the competitive advantage of PVB double-glazed modules in the market.

In addition, the household distributed PV power generation system is showing explosive growth this year and is expected to be part of every household. According to Mr. Wang Bohua, Secretary General of China Photovoltaic Industry Associate, distributed PV power generation systemshave become a new highlight in the market this year, the to-be-installed capacity throughout this year is expected to exceed 18 GW, the installed capacity of household PV systems is estimated to already exceed 2 GW, and in such regions as Zhejiang, Shandong and Hebei, the number of users of household PV systems is significantly increasing. Meanwhile, fire accidents rising from household PV power plants have occurred from time to time. Thus, the safety issue has received much attention. When PV modules are mounted on roofs, fire protection becomes particularly important. Now, double-glazed PV modules with the Class-A fire-protection rating stand out from the rest. Traditional modules are made of high-molecular polymer materials and are thus combustible. But things are different with double-glazed modules, because their two sides are of a glass structure without a backboard made of high polymer material. Therefore, double-glazed PV modules can offer users a safer usage.

Another advantage of such modules that has to be mentioned is the resistance to PID. Since these modules have their two sides of glass structure, their permeability rate is next to zero. Thus, in floating PV projects, fishery-integrated PV projects, agricultural PV projects, etc., double-glazed PV modules present its unique advantage.

Among the second batch of PV leading projects in 2016, it is clearly stated for Anhui Lianghuai 1 GW leading PV project that only a floating PV power plant can be shortlisted on the list of excellent projects. For this purpose, most investors have chosen RID-resistant double-glazed PV modules with a next-to-zero permeability rate. In addition, an agriculture-integrated PV mode or fishery-integrated PV mode is required to be employed for the Shandong Jining leading PV project, and agriculture-integrated PV mode is required for Shandong Xintai leading project. Without doubt, double-glazed modules are still the first choice. Particularly, application of white double-glazed modules to agriculture-integrated PV project is not only favorable for reducing generating cost, but increasing crop yield.

What is noteworthy is that when it comes to the permeability rate of such modules, "next to" is used in this article. Why? Because compared with single-glazed modules, double-glazed ones are effectively resistant to water vapor, but their edges will still suffer from invasion of water vapor and adhesive film exposed to the air is easy to degrade with ultraviolet irradiation.

To offer better solutions, CECEP Solar Energy Technology (Zhenjiang) Co., Ltd. has conducted a series of comparative tests for EVA, POE and PVB double-glazed modules. Specifically, HAST tests, water-boiling tests, verification of acid and alkali resistance and salt spray resistance, falling ball impact tests, etc. are done and test results show that PVB double-glazed modules, among competitors, have a lower permeability rate, better performance in acid and alkali resistance and salt spray resistance, and a higher shock strength.

Furthermore, with the designed frameless structure, double-glazed modules will not produce negative bias and are unnecessary to be grounded, so it is more favorable for protecting those modules from PID. Naturally, those modules without a frame are easy to be cleaned and managed with less accumulated dust and snow, significantly reducing maintenance work and cost, enhancing benefits from power generation, particularly in northwest China.

The high reliability of double-glazed modules is more directly reflected onto the more stable energy output, 30-year service life, lower attenuation rate (about 0.5%) and increase of yield by at least 21% within life cycle.

At present, double-glazed PV modules have been widely applied to such PV power plant projects as flowing PV power plant, fishery-integrated PV project, agriculture-integrated PV project, BIPV and leading PV project. In 2018, the promotion of double-sided solar cell, explosive growth of household PV system, demands from leading PV projects, etc. will undisputedly boost the sales of double-glazed PV modules.

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SOURCE CECEP Solar