First bifacial solar panel gets UL nod
The Panda panel developed by Yingli Green Energy uses n-type monocrystalline solar cells, which can generate power not only from the front side, but also from the rear by using reflected light. This boosts the energy conversion efficiency to 30% compared to 24% from only using the front side. It already has a Chinese approval.
Using monocrystalline cells gives the resulting module more durability and resistance to PID (Potential Induced Degradation), especially in harsh environments such as exposure to high temperature and humidity, salt mist and sand. With a maximum system voltage of 1500V, the module can improve system performance and help to reduce system costs.
Yingli has been actively promoting the establishment of testing standards of bifacial modules. In 2016, the company worked with the China General Certification (CGC) centre to jointly develop a standard for the PV Industry Association on the Electrical Performance Testing Method for Bifacial Module”. At the end of 2016, Yingli received the bifacial module certification from CGC, and became the first and currently the only company to have this.
“We are glad to be the first company in solar industry to consecutively receive the bifacial module certifications from CGC and UL, which is a significant step forward for us and a proven of our technical strength on the N-type bifacial generating technology,” said Vincent Yu, vice president of Yingli. “The establishment of uniform standards for bifacial products will both benefit the producers and consumers and Yingli is committed to continued technology innovation to reduce the cost of solar power generation and contribute to the grid parity.”