Sharp develops 445 W half-cut panels for large scale PV

Sharp has launched the NU-JD445 solar panel, a half-cut monocrystalline PERC product with a 20.1% efficiency rate and 445 W of power output.

The new product relies on nine-busbar technology, which should make the modules less susceptible to micro-cracks. Like all half-cell modules from the Japanese manufacturer, the products have three small junction boxes, each equipped with a bypass diode. These enclosures transfer less heat to the upper cells, which helps to extend the lifetime of panels while improving overall system performance, it is claimed.

The panel has a size of 2,108×1,048mm and a weight of 25kg. The module is suitable for a system voltage of up to 1,500 V and has a temperature coefficient of -0.347% per degree Celsius.

The product has been certified according to the certifications IEC61215 and IEC61730 standards, which the manufacturer claims confirm the quality and safety of the module, which was tested for resistance to ammonia, salt mist, sand and voltage-induced degradation (PID).

The module was specially developed for ground-mounted and commercial and industrial photovoltaic systems and offers, according to Sharp, and offers a good balance between cost reduction and system compatibility. A 1.67m-long cable comes with the new module, which is said to enable installation in a landscape format or to allow skip cabling for installation in a portrait format.

In September, Sharp launched the NU-JD440 solar panel, which is also a half-cut monocrystalline PERC product, but with a lower, 19.9% efficiency rate and 440 W of power output. In January 2020, Sharp launched its first monocrystalline PERC module series to feature half-cut cells. It had previously announced three more mono PERC products, with a claimed 19.1% efficiency rate, in April 2018.