SUNMAN Energy, a pioneer in lightweight photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing, recently showcased its latest ‘Dragonfly’ series of glassless lightweight flexible PV modules at the Intersolar Europe 2024 event. The manufacturer is pitching these modules as suitable for all commercial & industrial (C&I) applications including low-load roofs with structural limitations. The company, currently with 1 GW lightweight flexible PV module production capacity, caters to global low-load roof applications.
Speaking to TaiyangNews during the event, the company shared that the ‘Dragonfly’ series is based on its patented ‘eArc’ technology. An alternative to PV glass, ‘eArc’ is a self-developed polymer composite material used as an encapsulant for crystalline silicon cell matrix. The company boasts high light transmittance, anti-aging properties, impact resistance, and fire resistance for this 3rd party-certified ‘eArc’ composite material. The ‘eArc’ technology-based ‘Dragonfly’ PV module’s characteristics can be categorized into multiple key metrics.
Performance
The latest glassless monofacial module, featuring 144 pieces of 182 mm or M10 size half-cut PERC cell matrix, boasts a power output of 520 W and an efficiency of 19.3%. The 2,246 x 1,197 x 2 mm size glassless module has an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 49.5 V and short-circuit current (Isc) of 13.56 A, it added.
Installation & application
The ‘Dragonfly’ module has tweaked its design by integrating the panel with a 40.5 mm thick mounting structure, eliminating the need for a traditional module mounting structure. The 2,247 x 1,227.8 x 40.5 mm dimension product is ultra-lightweight at 4.1 kg/m². It is 60% lighter than conventional glass modules, claims the manufacturer. Sunman estimates that worldwide, 40% of industrial rooftops cannot support the minimum weight of a standard glass module, which is 15 kg.
SUNMAN emphasized that its ultra-lightweight design module with an optimized frame supports all kinds of low-load roof installation methods, including roof adhesive mounting and removable mechanical mounting. Its pre-integrated frame design also saves installation time and cost.
Durability & safety
The latest model’s installation with the underlying roof surface ensures the roof’s waterproof and safety performance. This commercially available glassless flexible PV module’s guaranteed 12 years of product and 25 years of linear power performance can be attributed to the ‘eArc’ technology’s durability similar to conventional glass modules.
SUNMAN said the ‘eArc’ is the first glassless PV module to pass the same durability test as conventional glass PV modules, including IEC 61215:2016, IEC 61730:2016, and UL 61730. This module’s certification against potential degradations like PID and salt mist ensures long-term reliability.