1st test platform for solar and storage is built in China

Broadcaster China Central Television reported that the first test platform for solar energy and storage was built in the country with approximately 200 MW for phase I of development.

The platform, which has been in operation since November last year, is located in Daqing, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, and was built by State Power Investment Corporation's Huanghe Hydropower Development.

For the project, the Trina Solar provided the Vertex modules 500 W, 550 W and 670 W for experimentation. “These panels were chosen as the project is testing products, systems and storage facilities in wet and frozen environments in order to support the progress of the solar industry,” the company said in a statement.

According to the manufacturer, at the conclusion of phase I, empirical studies, experiments and tests will be developed on new technologies, products and photovoltaic and energy storage solutions, in addition to collecting operational data for construction, equipment manufacturing and R&D (Research and Development) of the Chinese photovoltaic industry.

Vertex Modules

Trina emphasized that one of the standout features of Vertex modules is high reliability and energy yield efficiency in extreme environments such as low temperatures and snowfall.

Since June 2020, the company has been working with a third-party agency to carry out rigorous tests on Vertex modules to validate their mechanical reliability in extreme weather conditions.

Among the assessments in process are non-uniform snow load and an extremely low temperature mechanical load test. “The first test creates a 'non-uniform snow load' as close to reality as possible, simulating the uneven pressure of a heavy snowfall on a module surface, especially at the lower end,” the company reported.

“At the final pressure of 7.000 Pa (equivalent to 2,8 meters of snow), the module's energy degradation is only 0,56%. The second is a static load test at -40 ℃ with front pressure of 5.400 Pa and back pressure of 2.400 Pa. The test result shows no change in EL (Electroluminescence) and only 0,11% energy degradation, proving excellent mechanical performance at low temperatures”, explained Trina.

Trina Solar's Vertex modules are based on 210mm silicon wafers. With non-destructive cutting technology and high-density interconnect, the series offers maximum power of 670 W and up to 41% higher string power for longer series, thus reducing the number of strings and modules and saving installation costs.