Lithuanian solar module manufacturer Solitek, a unit of ophthalmic lens maker Global BOD, has unveiled a glass-glass monocrystalline panel with a power output of 235 W for applications in greenhouses.
The module is produced in Lithuania at a newly installed manufacturing site with an annual capacity of 180 MW, SoliTek head Julius Sakalauskas told pv magazine. “The M40 panel has a power of 235 W and light transmittance of 40%, which means that as much as 40% of its surface is transparent and transmits more natural light than in our previous modules.”
The 40-cell panel has a power conversion efficiency of 12.6% and can operate with a maximum system voltage of 1,500 V. Its open-circuit voltage is 26.60 V and its short-circuit current is 11.01 A.
The frameless product measures 1,770 x 1,049 x 7.1 mm and has a weight of 30 kg. Front and back glass both have a thickness of 3 mm. The operating temperatures range from -40 to 85 degrees Celsius and the power temperature coefficient is -0.47% per degree Celsius.
Image: Solitek
The Lithuanian manufacturer offers a 30-year linear power output guarantee and a 30-year product guarantee. Its output is guaranteed at 87% of the original efficiency for 30 years.
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Solitek said that the M40 is almost two times cheaper than the previous versions of the panel.
Sakalauskas explained that the company gained experience in building the module through a 1.5 MW agrivoltaic rooftop project in Malaysia, for which it provided its conventional glass-glass products. “Even then it became clear that growing peppers in drier and hotter areas in the shade of solar modules can achieve much higher yields and significantly reduce the amount of water needed for irrigation. The yield of vegetables and fruit can increase by two to three times than in usual agriculture and the yield matures by 30% faster than under normal conditions,” he said, adding that water losses have been reduced by as much as 65%.
Solitek currently assembles solar modules at its facility in Lithuania. The company sold its IBC solar cell production lines to Finnish manufacturer Valoe in December 2020.
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This seems a whole lot better than covering massive landscapes with solar only. The watering will still be an issue in desert settings, but in situations that solar is taking up prime farmland, this would be much preferred. What cost per Watt are we looking at though?
“The M40 panel has a … light transmittance of 40%”. 40% light transmissions is too low for most growers that grow year-around in high-tech greenhouses, especially in moderate and colder climates. Sun-light inside the greenhouse is essential for efficient production. It is much more logical to:
*put the panels somewhere else, not providing inside shade, and use the electricity for lamps and machinery.
* insulate the greenhouse, so less energy is needed in colder seasons and during colder nights.
BBBLS needs only 20% of the energy of a standard high-tech greenhouse. BBBLS allows for 87% par transmissions (glass is around 82%). When filled with soap bubbels, shading can be used dynamically, only when needed.