The solar C&I segment being is an intermediate between the residential and utility streams, it covers small-scale ground-mount installations to very large roof spaces of multiple MW. The size of such systems can vary from very low 2-digit kW all the way to a scale of 2-digit MW. And the module requirements vary from case to case. Due to this very broad coverage, nearly every module type finds a home in the C&I category. For example, some industrial shed roofs may require light-weight modules, even lighter than residential, but high efficiency may not be a priority when a larger space is available, while the opposite scenario cannot be ruled out either. Availability of flat roofs, sometimes already with high albedo, and open land makes bifacial installations more feasible.
In principle, modules promoted for such C&I applications should be high in number. However, the C&I section of our TaiyangNews Report on Advanced Module Technology is the least represented with only 14 module products from 5 suppliers. It has mostly to do with the fact that module makers prefer to label their C&I products under a broader section such as 'residential and C&I' or 'utility and C&I'.
Of the 14 products, 6 are from Talesun – 3 based on 166 mm and the other 3 based on the 158.75 mm wafer format. Its BISTAR series tops the list in terms of power at 450 W. This module benefits mainly from the area factor as it is the only one based on 166 mm cells, the largest among the listed products. Most of the others are based on G1 wafer size, while Canadian Solar Inc. (CSI) is offering 4 modules based on 157 mm wafers. As for the number of cells, 72, 66 and 60-cell equivalent module formats are listed here. Of the products featured in this section, 9 are based on standard p-type monocrystalline PERC cell technology, and 3 have multicrystalline cells. The only module using an advanced cell structure is a TOPCon flexible module from Jolywood, available in a 66-cell equivalent version with a rated power of 340 W. The CIPRO series from Talesun is yet another variant that is based on cast mono class of silicon wafers with 158.75 mm side length that comes in a 120-cell half-cell configuration with a rated power of 340 W. CSI's all 4 modules listed here are based on a 157 mm wafer size, of which one is monocrystalline with power of 335 W and the remaining 3 are multicrystalline panels falling in a power band of 330 W to 310 W.
The text is an excerpt from the TaiyangNews Advanced Solar Module Technologies 2021 report. For more details on advanced solar modules and their applications in various segments, please download our TaiyangNews report on Advanced Solar Module Technologies 2021, here.
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