| Work Detail |
The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) and Heckert Solar have developed a rooftop solar panel in Germany. The 400 W module, with M12 half cells, has an efficiency of 20.5%. The collaborative effort has led to the creation of a new production line dedicated to this series of modules.
Fraunhofer ISE and Heckert Solar have collaborated on the development of a high-efficiency photovoltaic module with M12 half cells and an efficiency rate of 20.5%. Fraunhofer ISE has been responsible for the conception, pre-development and production of the initial prototype, while Heckert Solar has established a new production line at its main facility in Chemnitz, Germany for the 400 W module, intended for residential use.
“The jointly developed photovoltaic module is characterized by the use of M12 half-cells with twelve busbars and a special arrangement of the solar cells using a so-called cross-string design,” explains Christian Reichel, project manager at Fraunhofer ISE. “The resulting lower mechanical stress on the solar cells and cell connectors reduces the risk of solar cell breakage.”
The PV module design integrates the results of the Fraunhofer ISE life cycle analysis into different types of modules. To minimize the CO2 footprint, the research team developed optimized supply chains for the module.
“We have already been able to apply part of the production concept for the lowest possible CO2 footprint that was developed in the project,” said Ronny Köhler, head of quality control at Heckert Solar. “We only use green electricity to produce the modules, most of it generated by our own photovoltaic systems on the factory premises. “Waste heat from our offices and packaging materials are largely reused.”
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) funded the development of the new product within the framework of the “Komoger” research project, which designs competitive modules specifically manufactured in Germany.
The module has been in mass production since the beginning of this year. Although larger M12 cells significantly improve the efficiency of solar modules, standard European production lines cannot process them, according to Fraunhofer ISE.
As part of the project, German PV production equipment supplier Teamtechnik developed its stringer systems for this format. The new flexible stringer for various cell formats and with the option of flat and round wire connection is now part of the Chemnitz production and is also used in the Module-TEC laboratory at the Fraunhofer ISE.
“The development of stringers for the interconnection of solar cells with more than six busbars, as well as the cable interconnection of solar cells in M12 format, was a milestone for us,” says Thomas Fischer, project manager at Eckert Solar. . “This helps ensure that European photovoltaic production systems remain viable.”
Heckert Solar expanded its annual module production to 400 MW this year by building an additional factory in Langenwetzendorf, Germany. In August 2022, the company announced a €2 billion ($2.2 billion) investment in photovoltaic production in Germany with Interfloat and Wattkraft. |
