Solar technologies are truly progressing by leaps and bounds, and the latest invention is a testimony to the fact. Researchers at Germany’s International Solar Energy Research Center Konstanz and the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS), National University of Singapore have collaborated to create world’s first two-sided solar panels.
It is called full-size interdigitated back contact (IBC) bifacial solar module, and this astonishing development has led to panels that last longer, are more efficient and can produce more power than the current technology. The difference is how it can absorb light both on front and back side.
The prototype has been made using bifacial ZEBRA IBC solar cells, which provides an efficiency of over 22 percent. As SERIS CEO Armin Aberle claims, the IBC cells are better in performance when it comes to durability and reliability.
The Double-glass insulation that holds the module will also allow the lifetime of the cells to increase up to 30 years, and their 75 percent being bifacial means that the module can produce up to 30 percent more power.
SERIS’ PV Module Cluster Director Wang Yan said,
“With SERIS’ new module design, panels with 350 watts front-side power can be made with 60 23 percent efficient screen-printed IBC cells. Considering an additional 20 percent of power via the panel’s transparent rear surface, each 60-cell IBC bifacial module will produce a stunning 400 watts of power in the real world.”
The unique solar modules will be revealed at the upcoming International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition on April 19th in Shanghai, China.
Aberle said,
“The module technology offers world-class front side power while providing free extra power from the rear side.”
The creators are now working on commercializing the product and hope to bring it to the market within two years.