LG Solar Showcases Award-Winning Cell Technology, New Modules At Solar Power International
LG Electronics USA’s innovative collection of solar modules and technologies on display at Solar Power International (SPI) this week is headlined by the brand new LG NeON™ R module with “Back Contact” cell technology. LG Solar is also unveiling the award-winning NeON™ 2 Bi-Facial solar module for the U.S. market and highlighting the LG NeON™ 2 72-cell solar module for commercial installation.
“At LG we are dedicated to providing green energy solutions in both the residential and commercial markets that provide not only cost and energy savings, but also beautiful, aesthetic designs that home and business owners are proud to display on their rooftops.” said Stephen Hahm, senior vice president, Energy Business Center, LG Electronics USA.
Innovative, Beautiful NeON R Modules
At SPI, LG is introducing the company’s first Back Contact cell design on the innovative NeON R module. The new cell is beautifully configured with a virtually seamless façade, perfectly blending into nearly all rooftop designs. Instead of visible busbars and wiring on the surface, the Back Contact cell boasts a completely black aesthetic that is both visually pleasing and energy efficient.
In addition to a sleek design that owners will be proud to display, LG’s NeON R module boasts high efficiency. The cell design positions all the module’s electrodes on the rear side of the cell and features LG’s N-type cell structure, allowing the panels to produce 365W of energy, up to 7.3kWp, compared to p-type cell’s 5.8kWp. This N-type cell structure can also minimize the Light Induced Degradation (LID) – the initial power drop caused by the Boron-Oxygen complex – giving it a longer lifespan and higher output over the lifetime of the module.
In addition to higher energy output and beautiful design, the brand new cell design allows the panels to be installed in the shadow of a tree or chimney, which previously posed an issue.
Award-Winning NeON 2 Bi-Facial Module
LG’s innovative cell technology earned its third consecutive Intersolar Award this year at Intersolar Europe for the new NeON 2 Bi-Facial solar module, which is now being introduced for the U.S. market at SPI 2016.
The NeON 2 Bi-Facial module generates power from both the front and rear sides, maximizing power performance and exceeding the output of monofacial modules significantly. Producing an amazing surplus yield when compared to a monofacial model, the NeON 2 Bi-Facial module generates 310W of power from the front side of the panel, which is supplemented by the power generated on the backside – up to 400W.
To help enhance the bifacial performance, the solar module also features LG’s innovative Cello technology, which utilizes circular-shaped wires to scatter light for better absorption while reducing electrical loss and increasing power output and reliability by spreading the electrical current through 12 thin wires rather than the traditional three busbars.
NeON 2 72-Cell Commercial-Grade Modules
Perfectly suited for utility scale installations, LG’s NeON 2 72-Cell module represents one of the industry’s most efficient and practical solution for commercial installations due to LG’s N-Type double-sided cell structure and recently improved 400W output.
LG’s double-sided cell structure allows the panels to produce more energy with a smaller footprint. The module, debuted during last year’s show, features a series of 72 high-efficiency cells that make it easier to manage space when installing a large-scale system without sacrificing energy output. The three models available now, LG365N2W-G4, LG370N2W-G4 and LG375N2W-G4, are designed to deliver outputs ranging from 365W to 375W, in a 6.41- by 3.28-footpanel, thereby producing more power in less space. A new model to ship in 2017 offers up to 400 watts of energy output with a similar footprint, making it the most powerful in the collection.
Long-Lasting Design, Extended Warranty
Unlike conventional p-type solar modules, the N-Type cells used in the NeON R, NeON 2 Bi-Facial and NeON™ 2 72-cell modules use virtually no boron, so LID is reduced significantly.
The NeON R, NeON 2 Bi-Facial and NeON 2 72-cell modules offer improved frame firmness – the direct result of a reinforced frame design that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is durable. The updated NeON 2 72-cell and NeON 2 Bi-Facial modules reduce annual degradation from -0.7 percent to -0.6 percent per year, while the NeON R modules reduce annual degradation to an impressive -0.4 percent per year, allowing LG to extend the warranty to a full 12 years.
