Sharp launches 540 W half-cut PV module with 20.9% efficiency

Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp has unveiled the NU-JD540 solar panel, a half-cut monocrystalline PERC product with a 20.9% efficiency rating and 540 W of power output.

The IEC/EN61215 and IEC/EN61730-certified panel features 144 half-cells based on M10 wafers and a 10-busbar design. It has overall dimensions of 2,279×1,134×3.5mm and weighs in at 27.8kg.

The panel can be used in PV systems with a maximum voltage of 1,500 V and an operating temperature between -40 degrees Celsius and 85 degrees Celsius. It comes with a 25-year linear power output guarantee and a 15-year product guarantee. The operating temperature coefficient is -0.341% per degree Celsius and its power tolerance reaches up to 5%, the manufacturer claims.

The module is fabricated with a white backsheet and anti-reflective, highly-transmissive, low iron tempered glass with a thickness of 3.2mm, and a frame made of anodized aluminum alloy and silver.

The Japanese manufacturer said that its half-cut modules feature three small junction boxes, instead of one; all with bypass diodes. These enclosures transfer less heat to the upper cells, which helps to extend the lifetime of panels while improving overall system performance, it claimed.