TCL Zhonghuan has launched its T5 Pro high-efficiency solar module series in Beijing, describing the line as the company’s new N-type TOPCon flagship and a “strategic step toward higher-value, application-driven differentiation amid intensifying competition across the PV supply chain.”
The T5 Pro range spans three power classes — 760 W for utility-scale plants, 680 W for commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftops, and 480 W for residential systems.
The platform is built on a tri-slice architecture, in which a full-size wafer is divided into three units and assembled using a zero-gap matrix interconnection structure. According to TCL Zhonghuan, the design boosts power output by more than 15 W and raises module efficiency by over 0.5 percentage points, while maintaining a standard 2,382 mm × 1,134 mm footprint.
The largest product features a power conversion efficiency of up to 25.17%.
A core engineering focus is the module’s low-current, low-resistance profile. Each sub-cell operates at just 5.09 A, reducing resistive losses to 1.3 W, which the manufacturer describes as 74.5% lower than in conventional half-cell modules, according to the manufacturer.
Performance gains are most pronounced in shading tolerance and thermal management, the company said, adding that independent tests by TÜV Rheinland show the T5 Pro generates 17% more energy than conventional modules under partial shading, with power retention reaching 67% compared with roughly 50% for standard half-cells.
Hot-spot temperatures are reportedly lower than traditional modules, while average operating temperatures fall by 1–1.5 C, reducing thermal stress and long-term degradation. The module passed salt-mist level-8, ammonia, and sand-abrasion tests, and recorded 0.22% degradation after combined mechanical load, thermal cycling (TC50), and damp-freeze trials, which is far below the industry’s 5% benchmark, according to the company.
Project-level data from TCL highlights the economic impact of these technical gains, with balance-of-system (BOS) spending purportedly falling 2.63% in pilot deployments, saving CNY 0.0126 ($0.0018)/W at a utility plant in Inner Mongolia and CNY 0.0830/W in Shandong, where land costs are higher.
TCL Zhonghuan estimates a 4% higher lifetime energy yield for a 3,800 m² commercial rooftop project in Suzhou, translating into more than CNY 1.8 million in additional electricity revenue over 30 years. LCOE reductions range from 0.66% to 1.82%, while lower failure rates could cut annual O&M expenses by CNY 50,000–80,000 for a 200 MW project.
The company also points to value preservation, noting that the module’s low-degradation profile – 1% in year one and 0.4% annually thereafter – could increase an asset’s resale value by 5–10% after 15 years.
TCL Zhonghuan reports more than 15 GW of multi-slice capacity and cumulative shipments above 35 GW, supported by its G12/G12R wafer platform.
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