Taiwan-based PV cell manufacturer Neo Solar Power (NSP) launched three high-efficiency monocrystalline PV cell products in late June, including “Hello 22” the N-type HJT PV cell, “Black 21” the P-type PERC cell, and “Black 21-BiFi” the P-type bifacial PERC cell. Samples of the Black series have been delivered to NSP’s customers.
Advances in PERC technology
“Black 21” is an optimized PV product series which is currently in mass production. With an improved conversion efficiency of up to 21.4%, the power output of 60-cell and 72-cell PV modules can respectively reach 315Wp and 375Wp.
“Black 21-BiFi,” on the other hand, is a new product line targeting at the highly inquired bifacial PV cells. Combining 20.8% front-side conversion efficiency and a 15% extra efficiency rate attribution from the back-side, a Black 21-BiFi cell’s conversion efficiency could achieve 23.9% at the highest, representing 335Wp and 405Wp power output for 60-cell and 72-cell PV modules, respectively.
“We have already delivered samples of these two products to our clients,” said an IR representative to EnergyTrend in a call. “As long as our client accept using these products, we can ramp up production immediately. And we have gotten inquiries from clients in Europe, Americas, and mainland China.”
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| "Black 21" P-type PERC cell | "Black 21-BiFi" P-type bifacial PERC cell |
Taiwan’s first HJT cell production line is ready to go
NSP and Archers Systems, a Taiwan-based PV equipment supplier, announced a collaboration to commence mass production of Taiwan’s first heterojunction (HJT) PV cell capacity. NSP named the HJT cell product lineup “Hello 22” and initially planned a 50MW production capacity.
The “Hello 22” products will be 6-inch, N-type HJT cells with conversion efficiency up to 22.2%. Although the power output of 60-cell and 72-cell packaged “Hello 22” PV modules are expected to reach 325Wp and 390Wp respectively, the actual power yield in real world could be equal to that of 348Wp and 417Wp P-type modules thanks to better LID performance and resistance against high working temperature.
Many PV industry leaders believe HJT to be the successor of PERC technology in next generation. Panasonic, SolarCity, GCL, and Jinneng Group are current’s major players in HJT (HIT® for Panasonic) productions. NSP will come up with future capacity expansion plans for its HJT capacity according to the market’s response.
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| "Hello 22" N-type HJT cell |
Targeting at downstream market
NSP also explained the company’s module capacity deployment to EnergyTrend in the call. NSP has been moving its module capacity from Taiwan to Southeast Asian countries since late 2015, and will purchase new equipment for the overseas module facilities.
“Because capital expenditure on establishing new module production lines is affordable to us, we chose to buy new equipment for factories built overseas rather than moving from Taiwan,” said the representative to EnergyTrend. “The new equipment will offer better production efficiency and quality than old ones. Also, our overseas module factory will firstly package PV cells produced in our PV cell plants in Taiwan.”
At the moment and in Taiwan, NSP operates only 60~100MW module capacity, which was acquired from its subsidiary, General Energy Solutions.
NSP is also ambitious for developing global PV power plants and expects to complete 100~200MW of projects in the second half of 2016, including a 67MW PV plant in Dominican Republic. NSP will choose to own, operate or sell its solar assets depending on purchase negotiations.