At the recently concluded REI 2024, Alpex Solar, a PV module manufacturer with 17 years of experience and an annual production capacity of 1.2 GW in northern India, promoted the latest product offerings. Alongside the newest n-TOPCon and p-PERC modules, the company displayed an M10 size n-TOPCon cell, set to begin mass-production at an upcoming cell line in India.
In an exclusive interview with TaiyangNews, Ashwini Sehgal, Managing Director of Alpex Solar, provided a brief overview of the company's latest product offerings, capacity expansion plan, and technology roadmap through 2027.
Modules
The displayed n-TOPCon bifacial PV module, marketed as NIKKO TOPCON, delivers power outputs ranging from 560 W to 590 W, with a maximum efficiency of 22.8%. The module, featuring 144 half-cells of M10 size, can be laminated in glass-to-transparent backsheet or glass-to-glass configurations, says the company. The glass-to-glass version features 2 mm thick front and back glass, while the glass-to-backsheet version uses 3.2 mm front glass with a transparent backsheet, added the module maker. Measuring 2,278 x 1,178 x 35 mm, the module incorporates IP68-rated split junction boxes (JB) connected with positive (+) and negative (-) solar cables each 300 mm long, designed for portrait-oriented installation, according to the company datasheet. NIKKO TOPCON models are certified for environmental mechanical stresses of up to 5,400 Pa snow loads and 2,400 Pa wind loads.
Another key product promoted at the company’s booth was the p-PERC cell-based NIKKO MBB bifacial module series. The module, featuring 144 half-cut pieces of M10 size mono-PERC cells, offers a power output of up to 555 W and an efficiency of up to 21.48%. It is available in a power output range of 265 W to 555 W. This 2,278 x 1,134 x 35 mm dimension module, laminated with 3.2 mm thick front glass and a rear transparent backsheet, weighs 28.5 kg. The NIKKO MBB series is customizable with various types of backsheets – white, black, and transparent.
The company offers a 10-year product and a 25-year performance warranty for the above-mentioned commercially available TOPCon and PERC series modules.
Capacity expansion
In addition to highlighting the latest product portfolio, the company shared its capacity expansion plan across PV modules and cell manufacturing verticals. Along with the existing 1.2 GW PV module-making capacity, the company plans to add another 1.2 GW module and a new 1.6 GW cell fabrication unit in India, raising its total annual module production capacity to 2.4 GW. The company says the greenfield cell line is expected to start production within the next 210 days. Alpex Solar’s sample M10 size (182.2 x 182.2 mm) n-TOPCon cell, named DCR QL TOPCON, was displayed at its booth. The 'DCR' part of its nomenclature denotes Domestic Content Requirement while 'QL' stands for Quantum Leap. According to the datasheet available at the company booth, the cell offers an efficiency range of 25% to 25.9% at the research & development (R&D) level. The cell is based on a 135 µm thick wafer and features 16 busbars.
The company also displayed its cell technology roadmap through 2027 at the show – aiming to achieve TOPCon Gen 1 cell efficiencies of up to 25.5% by June 2025, followed by Gen 2 cells with efficiencies up to 26.5% by the end of 2025. By 2026, the company plans to reach a 27% efficient Gen 2 cell, with work on perovskite tandem cell technology slated to begin by 2027.