Renewables, Solar

JinkoSolar Swan cuts bifacial module weight by 25%

As bifacial solar module technology is adopted by developers of some large-scale PV plants and commercial and industrial applications, JinkoSolar is testing the effects on projects of its Swan panel.

The Swan module is about 25% lighter than its bifacial peers, Jinko says, because glass is not used on the backsheet.

The company claims a 25% weight saving would reduce cost of BOS by 3%, mounting structure by 15%, labour by 20% and O&M by 5%.

For bifacial panels, mounting structure heights should be raised to allow the rear surface to capture additional diffuse albedo light. Jinko says between 1m and 1.5m is recommended as optimum.

“If using a fixed-tilt mounting structure, a more aggressive tilt angle is common,” Jinko says. “This aggressive tilt angle aims to increase rear side exposure and promote diffuse albedo light; however, this will also increase the load experienced under high wind conditions.”

Bifacial technology is ideally deployed in tracking systems, Jinko says, where the Swan module’s 25% weight saving “has been shown to provide superior alleviation over tracking system, as this does not require special design or strengthened material.”

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