SolarWorld launches 1,500-Volt Solar Panel

One of the largest crystalline-silicon solar manufacturers in the Americas, SolarWorld has announced the launch of 1,500-volt solar panel.

The company will exhibit the new 72-cell XL product at SolarWorld’s Booth 7411 at Intersolar North America from July 12 to 14 in San Francisco.

Compared to standard 1,000-volt solar panels, the 1,500-volt technology enables installers to increase lengths of solar-panel strings by up to 50 percent, thereby requiring fewer combiner boxes, less wiring and trenching and lower labor costs. Analysts have estimated the cost savings at up to 5 cents per watt installed.

The company in a stamen said its technology’s application is ideal for large commercial and utility-scale designs. Unlike competitors, SolarWorld has not increased the size of its 72-cell solar panel to reach the 1500-volt standard. The new solar panel is certified to UL1703; it is free of potential induced degradation (PID), as per IEC 62804-1:2015.

“SolarWorld does whatever it can to help its installation partners lower their costs and increase profits,” said Mukesh Dulani, U.S. president of SolarWorld. “This new product maximizes the benefits of our 72-cell solar panel design without having to alter its size. It represents just the latest development in our long track record of achieving innovations that serve the market. Our customers want this option, so therefore we are bringing it to market.”

The company is taking orders for the 1,500-volt module for delivery starting in October.