Leading vertically integrated solar PV manufacturer Trina Solar of China has announced the launch of the 700W+ Photovoltaic Open Innovation Ecological Alliance with an aim to standardize the design and manufacture of 700W+ solar modules.

It is joined in the initiative by other leading manufacturers, namely Astronergy, Canadian Solar, Risen Energy, TCL Zhonghuan and Tongwei. 

This is an upgrade to the previous 600W+ Photovoltaic Open Innovation Ecological Alliance, also spearheaded by Trina Solar, which had 39 members backing it during its launch (see 39 PV Firms Back 600 W+ Solar PV Modules). 

The joint initiative for the 700W+ size, Trina explained, calls for manufacturers to adhere to the existing agreed industry dimensions of 2,384 mm x 1,303 mm for module size and a module long-side vertical hole distance between 400 mm and 1400 mm. It added that a hole distance of 790 mm has been added to the proposed standard. These modules use 210 mm x 210 mm sized wafer. 

This standardization will be instrumental in enhancing supply chain efficiency, boosting production, and lowering costs of this module type, it stated.  

“By establishing a set of standards for the ongoing development of these modules, its members aim to accelerate the industrialization of the technology, thereby increasing production, reducing LCOE, building consistency across the entire industry chain, and maximizing the value of solar PV in the long term,” according to Trina.  

During TaiyangNews High Efficiency Solar Technologies Conference in December 2023, Trina Solar’s Product Manager Lukas Chao Ye said that along with 210 mm x 210 mm modules, the company was also working on a standardized medium rectangular module size of 210R with 2,382 mm x 1,134 mm or 210 mm x 182 mm size (see TOPCon Part II: High Efficiency Solar Technologies Conference Day 3).