First Solar Launches ‘Game-Changing’ Series 5 Thin-Film Module

Originally published on Clean Techies.

Leading thin-film solar module manufacturing company First Solar recently announced the launch of a major new product that it expects to significantly reduce project costs.

At Intersolar, First Solar showcased the Series 5 thin-film solar module. The module will be launched in the market with a rated capacity of 365 W, which will be increased in subsequent upgrades.

The module has an efficiency of 16.4% and the company believes the larger size will help reduce the number of mounting structures needed which will, in turn, cut down on the capital cost to set up the project.

Additionally, the modules will be pre-wired which will result in reduced installation time. The module installation time is at roughly two and a half minutes per kW, claimed Karim Asali, First Solar’s technical director for Europe.

Manufacturing the modules also takes significantly less time when compared to mono-crystalline counterparts. A Series 5 module is manufactured in three and half hours compared to three and half days for crystalline modules.

First Solar plans to launch the Series 5 module to the global market by the middle of next year. The module could prove beneficial to project developers in the emerging solar power markets, such as the Middle East and India, where tariffs have been driven to record lows due to increasing competition.

Reprinted with permission.