Apr 28 2010
Solaria Corporation, a global manufacturer of solar modules, has begun shipping its crystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar module to customers in North America, Europe, and Asia.
The new modules provide electric utilities, project developers and system integrators with the most cost effective and reliable PV module for large scale solar installations.
"The solar industry is entering an era where customers demand high output, low cost, long-term reliability, and reduced carbon footprint. The Solaria module meets and exceeds these criteria, raising the bar for high-performance solar products," said Daniel Shugar, Solaria CEO.
"We've been testing Solaria's new modules at our multi-megawatt facility in California," said Eric Hafter, Chief Strategy Officer for Solar Power, Inc. "The modules have been yielding excellent performance; Solaria's high efficiency modules offer industry leading costs with the reliability and performance of traditional crystalline solar modules. Since Solaria's modules are built to industry standards, they're ready to install on standard trackers using conventional installation methods."
Solaria's crystalline module uses patented technology to provide all the reliability, performance, and quality of a standard silicon module at a lower cost. Solaria uses only proven, UL-listed materials that are standard in the PV industry, thereby eliminating risks associated with new materials. The Solaria modules are specifically optimized for tracking systems, which increase energy harvest by 20-30 percent, with the greatest increase in electricity output coinciding with times of peak demand.
The Solaria module, available in 230 Watts, 220 Watts and 210 Watts, is the first low-concentration flat-plate module to achieve international certification. Solaria's module is certified to UL1703 and IEC61215 standards, and its performance and reliability has been validated by independent laboratories. In addition, according to Columbia University's Center for Lifecycle Analysis, the carbon footprint per watt of modules manufactured with Solaria's technology is approximately one third less than that of competing technologies, and have an "energy payback" of less than one year.