Belinus unveils shingle solar panels with 20.1% efficiency

Belinus has developed a new black shingle solar module for rooftop applications.

“We produce this series in low carbon footprint factories with reduced material consumption, where the metal interconnect ribbon is eliminated, the encapsulant and cell are thinner, the silicon content is reduced by 40%, and the module’s lead content is reduced by more than 60%,” a company spokesperson told pv magazine.

The Nova modules feature a nominal power rating of 420 W and a power conversion efficiency of 20.1%. The open-circuit voltage is 34.5 V and the short-circuit current is 12.2 A.

The new product measures 1,812 mm x 1,096 mm x 30 mm and weighs 20.8 kg. It has an operating temperature ranging from -40 C to 85 C, and an IP 68 enclosure. The maximum system voltage is 1,500 V. The company offers a 35-year power output guarantee for 86% of the initial yield.

The Belgian solar module supplier has also announced plans to build a 500 MW solar module factory at an unspecified location in Belgium.

“We are already in active negotiations with local government officials to start the production by the end of the first quarter of 2024,” the company said in a statement, adding that it also plans to build another module manufacturing facility in Georgia. “The total capacity will exceed 5 GW by the end of 2025.”

Belinus has factories in China and Vietnam with has a combined annual production capacity of 2.2 GW. However, it has yet to provide any details about the exact locations of the Asian facilities.