Trina Solar has put forward the LCOE-oriented principle, that reducing LCOE in PV power stations with high power, high efficiency, high reliability and high energy yield. This is based on real-world experience including market trends to power industry growth to build a zero-carbon world.

High-power modules have become a fixture of the global market

High-power PV products are sweeping the world, as evidenced in events such as Intersolar Europe in Germany in May and Intersolar South America in Brazil at the end of August. About 30 module manufacturers exhibited more than 40 600W+ products using technologies such as PERC, HJT, and TOPCon.

Trina Solar has shipped more than 30GW of 210 modules worldwide, with the industry as a whole shipping more than 50GW by June. InfoLink, a world-leading renewables consultancy, has forecast that this year the production capacity of 210mm cells will reach 309GW and of modules 344GW.

Core competencies of 600W+ modules, the 4 keys unlocking low LCOE

Cutting LCOE has always been a key driver in the rise of PV installed capacity and remains the supreme goal of technological innovation in the PV industry.

Reducing initial investment in PV power stations and increasing total power generation during their life cycle are crucial in bringing down LCOE. High-power and high-efficiency products can significantly increase string power, reduce BOS costs and reduce initial project investment. Solar modules with high energy yield and high reliability directly increase the total energy yield of a power station during it life time. Trina Solar has found that high power, high efficiency, high energy yield and high reliability, as well as continuously cutting LCOE are key elements of superior PV modules.

Guided by LCOE, the global application of 600W+ is ever more mature

Trina Solar's Vertex 600W+ module is a product that fully meets the four core requirements just mentioned and has also been proved in various PV power plants and by third parties. Combining those characteristics with cutting LCOE gives us what we call the LCOE-oriented principle.

Compared with regular modules on the market, the 600W+ modules increase total power by 125W-130W, a module efficiency increase of 0.3%-0.5%, and an energy yield gain of 1.51%-2.1% per watt. The 600W+ module also passes the static mechanical load test and five other rigorous tests, and is an excellent performer in extreme weather.

Leading third parties, including Black & Veatch, DNV, Enertis and Fraunhofer ISE, have conducted extensive value analysis on 600W+ high-power modules worldwide, covering 15 major application settings. The results show that the 600W+ modules can reduce LCOE by up to 4.1% against that of 540W reference modules.

The 600W+ modules are widely used the world over, supporting a number of GW-level utility power stations, with a presence throughout Latin America, Europe, and elsewhere in settings including deserts and fisheries, in commercial and industrial markets, helping many industries to attain low carbon goals.