SOLAR TODAY - January/February 2010

new products | renewable energy stuff

Here’s a small sample of products introduced at solar Power international in late october.

KuKa replaces EVa with silicone sealant in Module Production KUKA Systems now integrates the Dow Corning PV-6100 Encapsulant Series into the automated assembly of photovoltaic (PV) panels, replacing EVA film. The first commercial installation is scheduled for a North American customer this year. Silicone gel offers cost-effective as- sembly of PV with improved insulation of the solar cells from harsh environments, reduced curing time and better transparency, for improved module efficiency. kuka-systems.com

eiQ converters link Modules
in Parallel Dc circuit
eIQ Energy has introduced the vBoost 250 and vBoost
350 DC-to-DC converter modules, which reduce the
installed cost and improve the efficiency of solar power
arrays. They enable solar panels to be wired in paral-
lel rather than in series. This reduces the amount of
hardware and wiring needed for a solar array and can cut
total system costs by 5 to 10 percent, even for large com-
mercial installations. The boxes also provide maximum
power point tracking to optimize array production. Over
100 thin-film panels can be linked, a 20-fold increase over
traditional wiring schemes. The vBoost system creates
a DC bus operating at a constant high voltage, allowing
use of a single central inverter operating in its most ef-
ficient range. eiqenergy.com

solectria launches utility-scale smart Grid series

The Solectria Renewables Smart Grid series of photovoltaic (PV) inverters has units sized at 266 kilowatts (k W), 300 k W and 500 k W.

These utility- and commer-cial-scale inverters feature Ethernet connections, MODBUS RTU and SCADA interface, plus VAR support, low-voltage ride-through, remote command and remote control. The units claim 97 percent efficiency including an integrated isolation transformer, multiple-core intelligence with auto-assignable master-slave power electronics modules, user-navigable LCD displays, grid-based battery storage control and one-piece integrated assembly for fast outdoor installations or a two-part assembly for ease of indoor installations.

solren.com

solar World offers all-black sunmodule

Solar World has launched an all-black version of its SW 230 monocrystalline Sunmodule for 2010. The module features the same high-performance cells and design as the existing SW 230 but features a black back sheet and black anodized frame to improve aesthetics for high-visibility installations on homes and businesses.

By midyear, the company expects to begin module assembly at its

Hillsboro, Ore., site, which has been manufacturing wafers and cells for more than a year. The 350 megawatts (M W) of module capacity will complement a 150-M W assembly line in Camarillo, Calif., and bring total U. S. capacity to 500 MW across the entire value chain.