Hevel Solar unveils 22.3%-efficient heterojunction BIPV module

Russian PV panel manufacturer Hevel Solar has launched a heterojunction solar module for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) with a nominal power of 395 W.

The panel has a power conversion efficiency of 22.3% and a claimed temperature coefficient of 0.28% degrees Celsius. “The price of 1m2 of Hevel BIPV is comparable to that of middle-range hinged ventilated facades,” a company’s spokesperson told pv magazine. “However its PV-generation capacity allows for an investment return in several years by saving on electricity costs.”

The new product measures 2004 х 1048 х 46 mm and weighs 40 kg. It features an open-circuit voltage of 53.18 V and a short-circuit current of 9.21 А. The maximum system voltage is 1,500 V. 

The panel can be used with operating temperatures of between -40 degrees Celsius and 85 degrees Celsius and has a 30-year power output guarantee and a 50-year BIPV solution warranty. “Hevel BIPV module has passed comprehensive testing in seven national independent accredited laboratories,” the spokesperson further explained. “The results of every test were positive, allowing BIPV to be used in any type of building.”

The panel is built with Hevel’s 23.8%-efficient heterojunction solar cells. “Hevel will continue to target the countries where its modules and cells are already being shipped,” the spokesperson added. “The company’s top export markets by shipment volume are Poland, Austria, India, Germany, Japan.”

The manufacturer sees BIPV as a potentially fast-growing market in densely populated cities where areas for ground-mounted installations are limited and roofs of high-rise buildings are occupied by air-conditioning and ventilation systems.

Hevel Solar currently operates a 340 MW heterojunction panel factory in Novocheboksarsk, southwestern Russia.