Solarfun Reduces LID With Eclipse Cells and Modules
The new Eclipse line of PV cells and modules from Solarfun reportedly reduce the relative light-induced degradation to ~1% rather than 2-3%.
Aaron Hand, Editor-in-Chief -- PV Society, 2/3/2010
Solarfun Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (Qidong, China) has introduced its Eclipse line of PV cells and modules with reduced light-induced degradation (LID), a common problem with solar PV modules that causes a significant drop in conversion efficiency in the first day of sun exposure.
Eclipse reduces the impurity concentration in cells, reducing the relative LID from 2-3% to ~1%, according to Solarfun. This translates to a loss of <2 W as opposed to 4-5 W for a 180 W module equipped with standard cells, giving the modules a boost of 1-2% more electricity generation over standard modules.
"We are proud to introduce this innovation in our new Eclipse line with reduced LID," said Peter Xie, president of Solarfun. "The advance is made possible by our vertically integrated manufacturing model and ability to control the quality of raw materials throughout the production process. By adjusting chemical properties in both the ingot-making and cell-processing phases of manufacturing, we have achieved a low concentration of impurity while still maintaining high yields."
Many solar cell manufacturers have taken particular interest lately in LID effects, trying to wring as much efficiency out of the cells as possible, according to Bates Marshall, vice president of sales and marketing for Sixtron Advanced Materials (Montreal), which recently launched a new passivation coating that addresses LID. "This is one of these problems that's been a thorn in the side of mono cell manufacturers for a long time," he said.
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