The tested modules resist the harshest of environments, including cyclones of the highest intensity. This underlines their suitability for extremely windy regions.
"We are very proud of the stability that our modules show even under extreme wind conditions, making it an exciting new first for the solar industry. We believe this sets Q.Cells modules apart from the competition in terms of quality and safety," said Oliver Hartley, Managing Director of Q-Cells Australia. "The tests prove that Q.Cells modules are the strongest modules out there, tested by an independent, quality lab in Australia."
The first round of pressure testing assessed Q.PRO-G2 and Q.PEAK modules on a standard roof-top structure using two different methods that applied stress through static, continuous pressure and dynamic cycling of pressure that consisted of more than 10,000 cycles ranging in intensity from low to high and back to low intensity. It showed that a solar system using Q.Cells modules will survive pressures equivalent to Category C cyclones, a severe category.
Q.Cells, known as a company to set industry standards, pushed the boundary even further and asked the Cyclone Testing Station to test Q.Cells modules for category D cyclones, the most extreme wind region found in northern West Australia. The second round of pressure testing assessed the same type of Q.Cells modules on a ground-mounted system by German company Krinner using the same methods applied in round one testing. The system passed testing for cyclones with a speed of up to 306 km/h. Cyclones of this speed occur less than once every 1,000 years in Category D cyclone regions.
Third party testing undertaken at the Cyclone Testing Station at James Cook University in Townsville showed that a Q.Cells system would have survived pressures caused by destructive Cyclone Larry in 2011, which happened in Queensland, Australia with wind speed measured at 240 km/h as well as Cyclone Yasi that had a speed of 290 km/h and crossed land early 2011 at Mission Beach, Australia, which is a Category C cyclone region.
