Installations of public art have the ability to inspire communities, change environments, and tell tales. It can be difficult to make sure these works remain noticeable and have an impact after nightfall, though. This is where solar lights come in, providing an effective and environmentally friendly way to light up public art while also boosting its aesthetic appeal and usability.

Because they are easy to install and environmentally sustainable, solar lights are a great option for public art installations. Solar lights don’t need complicated wiring or access to electricity networks like conventional lighting systems do. They are an affordable and low-maintenance choice because they use solar energy during the day and turn on automatically at night. This is particularly beneficial for outdoor art projects in parks, plazas, or remote locations where electrical infrastructure may be limited.

Solar lights come in a variety of designs, from sleek, modern fixtures like the solar eagle eye wall lamp to more decorative options such as the solar hexagonal pavilion lights, allowing artists and designers to seamlessly integrate them into their installations. Whether it’s highlighting a sculpture, accentuating a mural, or creating a pathway around an art piece, solar lights can be strategically placed to enhance the visual impact of the artwork. For instance, the solar color changing landscape lamp offers adjustable brightness and a spectrum of colors, providing endless creative possibilities to match the mood and theme of any public art installation.

Another important advantage of solar lights is their durability, particularly for outdoor public art projects. Reputable solar lights are made to resist inclement weather, such as rain, snow, and extremely high or low temperatures. This maintains the integrity of the art installation by guaranteeing that the lighting is dependable and operational throughout the year. Additionally, solar lights use less energy, which lowers carbon emissions and satisfies the growing need for environmentally friendly lighting in public areas.

SLD, Solar Lights Do, is a reliable partner for anyone wishing to include solar lighting in their upcoming public art project. With a focus on producing and marketing premium solar lights, SLD provides a large selection of long-lasting and effective outdoor solar lighting options. If you are interested, visit www.solarlightsdo.com and discover how SLD can help bring your artistic vision to life.

Businesses rely on clear, visible signage to attract customers, especially after dark. Installing and maintaining traditional lighting systems can be difficult due to their complicated wiring and high energy expenses. Outdoor LED solar light that runs on solar power provide a useful and affordable substitute for grid electricity, guaranteeing steady and bright illumination.

In order to power LED lights at night, solar powered lighting converts daylight into electrical energy. By doing away with the necessity for subterranean wiring, this self-sustaining system lowers installation and ongoing electrical expenditures. Modern solar sign lights, made possible by developments in solar technology, offer strong brightness and a long runtime, ensuring that signage is visible all night long.

Businesses signs are always illuminated thanks to long-lasting solar lighting systems that are made to endure a variety of weather situations, such as intense rain, snowfall, and extremely high or low temperatures. Among these solutions, the solar waterproof spotlight stands out as a reliable choice for ensuring consistent brightness and durability for businesses signs. In order to provide smooth operation with little effort, several versions also have automatic sensors that switch the lights on at dusk and off at dawn, making them an energy-efficient and hassle-free option for businesses.

In addition to being a wise financial move, switching to solar illumination is also an environmentally conscious one. Businesses may support sustainability initiatives while preserving a polished and well-lit image by reducing their dependency on conventional energy sources, which also helps to reduce carbon emissions.

SLD, Solar Lights Do, provides high-quality solar lighting solutions designed for commercial signage. Our products combine efficiency, durability, and ease of installation, making them an ideal choice for businesses looking to enhance visibility while reducing energy costs. Please explore our range at www.solarlightsdo.com.

How do half-cut solar cells work?

Half-cut solar cell technology increases the energy output of solar panels by reducing the size of the cells, so more can fit on the panel. The panel is then split in half so the top operates independently of the bottom, which means more energy is created – even if one half is shaded.

That’s the general overview – below, we break the process down.

Traditional monocrystalline solar panels usually have 60 to 72 solar cells, so when those cells are cut in half, the number of cells increases. Half-cut panels have 120 to 144 cells and are usually made with PERC technology, which offers higher module efficiency.

The cells are cut in half, very delicately, with a laser. By cutting these cells in half, the current within the cells is also halved, which essentially means that resistive losses from traveling energy via current are reduced, which, in turn, equals better performance.

Since the solar cells are cut in half, and are thereby reduced in size, they have more cells on the panel than traditional panels do. The panel itself is then split in half so that the top and bottom portions operate as two separate panels – generating energy even if one half is shaded.

The key to half-cut cell design is a different method of “series wiring” for the panel, or the way the solar cells are wired together and pass electricity through a bypass diode within a panel. The bypass diode, indicated by the red line in the images below, carries the electricity that the cells generate to the junction box.

In a traditional panel, when one cell is shaded or faulty and does not process energy, the entire row that is within the series wiring will stop producing power.

For example, let’s take a look at the traditional 3-string series wiring method:

With the traditional full cell string series wiring, shown above, if a solar cell in Row 1 does not have ample sunlight, every cell within that series will not produce energy. This knocks out a third of the panel.

A half-cut, 6-string solar panel works a bit differently:

If a solar cell in Row 1 is shaded, the cells within that row (and that row only) will stop producing power. Row 4 will continue to produce power, generating more energy than a traditional series wiring because only one-sixth of the panel has stopped producing power, instead of one-third.

You can also see that the panel itself is split in half, so there are 6 total cell groups instead of 3. The bypass diode connects in the middle of the panel, instead of on one side like the traditional wiring above.

What are the advantages of half-cut cells?

The advantages of half-cut cell panels are numerous.

They improve the power output and performance of solar modules because they offer a higher shade tolerance due to their unique wiring system. This means that if your home has some trees that cast shade onto your roof at certain times during the day, your entire solar panel will not be unusable, like it would with a traditional solar panel.

Another benefit is the fact that they usually offer a higher wattage than traditional panels, meaning they produce more power per square foot.

Additionally, the effects of hot spots are less severe on your solar panels with half-cut cells. Hot spots are the shifting of excess heat on a panel, say from a very hot part to the shaded, cooler section. With a half-cut cell, hot spots will not be as damaging because there are more cells to spread the excess heat to.

Half-cut cells also reduce power loss suffered by traditional panels by reducing internal resistance. Internal series resistance occurs just by the nature of energy traveling through the panel via electric current. But because solar cells are cut in half, there is less current generated from each cell, meaning less resistive losses.

Amid constant iteration in high-efficiency solar cell technology, domestic businesses have exceeded 23% in the efficiency of mass production at new PERC production lines in 2021, and managed to develop ceilings at an efficiency of almost 24%, which further solidifies the determination of domestic businesses in establishing additional production lines for the N-type solar cell.

In the race to develop the most efficient type of solar panels, manufacturers have developed bifacial solar panels. This type of panel has solar cells on both sides which allows the technology to capture more sunlight leading to greater solar cell efficiency compared to traditional solar arrays.

How Do Bifacial Solar Panels Work?
Lets first dig deep into how bifacial solar panels function. The top and bottom solar cells on a bifacial solar array function differently. The top solar cells function like a conventional solar panel array. They face the sun, so they capture incident sun rays directly, absorbing only certain wavelengths.

On the other hand, the bottom solar cells absorb light that is reflected off the ground. Since white or light colors reflect better than dark colors, painting a white or silver surface on the roof or driveway under the panels is encouraged. According to a study by Burns & McDonnell, white surfaces reflect more than 80% of this light while grass only reflects 23%.

How Is Bifacial Solar Panels Installed to Increase Efficiency?
To understand the difference, let’s first uncover how a monofacial solar array is set up. A monofacial solar panel system, or a group of one-sided solar panels, are placed in racks parallel to a surface such as a rooftop. Unlike single-sided panels, bifacial solar panels are installed on a tilt because they produce more energy when they are angled off of the roof or ground at varying degrees.

Below are three benefits of the titled installment of the bifacial solar array.

1. More sunlight to absorb
In these types of titled installations, there is a great amount of reflection. Because sunlight bounces off of all objects reflectively at many different angles, bifacial solar panels are able to capture more of it.

2. Productive on cloudy days
Because of the point above, bifacials can be productive on cloudy days while monofacial solar cells are at a greater disadvantage when there isn’t direct sunlight. Also, bifacials are less susceptible to weather damage because they are more durable. According to the Solar Magazine, because they are more durable than conventional solar panel systems, warranties for bifacial solar panels are typically 5+ years longer (that is, 30+ years versus 20–25 years).

3. Two energy peaks a day
A titled installation can also produce two energy peaks throughout the day based on their placement. For example, half of the bifacials in an array can be tilted toward the east to capture sunrise and morning rays. The second half can then be tilted to the west to soak up afternoon intensity and sunset rays.

Another installation that can achieve this is a vertical installation. During each peak, the reflection of sunlight on the other side of the solar panels will also contribute to energy production.

How Much More Efficient is a Bifacial Solar Array?
When we say efficiency, we are referring to how a solar cell takes the amount of solar energy it received and converts it into electrical energy. Although bifacials produce more electricity than monofacial panels, it definitely isn’t double the efficiency although solar panel manufacturers are working to make that happen in the future. Bifacials can increase energy efficiency by 11% compared to a conventional solar panel system, according to our study. And with a solar tracking system that tilts solar cells continuously toward the sun, the bifacial solar cell efficiency can be as high as 27%.

Floating solar farms gained traction in 2018, particularly in countries with high population density and with competing uses for limited available land. These also operate at high efficiency since installing the solar panels on water helps cool the equipment.

The Republic of Korea was among the first to pilot floating photovoltaic (PV) systems. State-owned Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) began testing a 2.4-kilowatt (kW) model in 2009 on the surface of Juam Dam reservoir in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province. In October 2012, it constructed a 500-kW commercial plant at the Hapcheon Dam in South Gyeongsang Province after it developed a 100-kW demonstration plant in Hapcheon Dam the year before. This was the world’s first commercial floating solar PV installation using the surface of a dam reservoir and the country’s first floating solar farm.

The country currently operates three commercial floating solar power facilities that aim to contribute toward increasing the share of renewables to 20% of the energy mix by 2030 from the current level of 7%.

What is a floating solar photovoltaic system?

It is an eco-friendly method of generating electric power that combines marine technology and renewable energy technology. Solar modules are made to float on the surface of water, such as a dam or a reservoir. Electricity is sent through underwater cables to a transmission tower.

Figure 1: Floating PV Generation Concept

Source: K-Water

What are the benefits of a floating PV system?

• Promotes land-use efficiency. As the floating PV energy systems are set up on water, the land can be used for other purposes. It requires no construction on land or conversion of forest and farmlands for solar power facilities.
• Provides high-energy yield. The increased energy generation is due to the natural cooling effect of the water, which reduces rises in temperature of the solar modules.
• Saves water resources. It reduces the evaporation of water in the reservoir since the floating PV system blocks the sunlight.
• Uses an eco-friendly system. Natural fish farms thrive under the platform.

Four environmental impact analyses by the Korea Environmental Policy and Evaluation Institute (KEI) from 2011 to 2019, showed that the floating PV facilities caused no harm to the environment, developed a ground for fish spawning, increased aquatic plants, and reduced algae. Also, as of 2018, the floating solar farms in the country has reduced the amount of carbon emissions by 52,414 tons.

What are its features?

A floating solar power plant is composed of the solar module, buoyancy body, and anti-rust material, which includes the vertical frame and horizontal frames, inspection footrest, and module mount assembly.

The solar module should be highly resistant to humidity, lead-free, dust-proof, and protected against the effects of temporary jets of water, and it should have passed the drinking water test. Floating PV Mounting System is applied to solar pv power plant installation on the water. Adopting HDPE material, it should pass the Hunt Water Absorption Test, Anti-Aging Test, Anti-UV Test etc. Moreover, it can bear the pulling force that is much higher than other products. Adopting new module design in floater and main floater, it can realize the array of double row in the same facing or in symmetrical facing, which can increase the efficiency of solar power generation and installation capacity, be easily installed, and save the cost. and its lifetime has more than 25 years.

Figure 2: Floating PV Plant Components

SunEvo Solar Floating System

Solar panel testing and certifications

Like other types of electronics, solar panel modules go through rigorous testing before installation. These tests are critical to determining the quality and performance of panels under particular environmental stresses, as well as confirming they meet mandated safety requirements. In this article, we’ll review the most common testing and certifications for solar panels on the market today.

Why is solar panel testing important?

Solar panel testing is key to assuring both the quality and safety of a module. Photovoltaic Solar Panels have a long lifespan: properly built and installed equipment should generate usable electricity for more than 25 years. Given the longevity of your investment, you want to make sure that any equipment on your roof will perform well and operate safely on your roof.

With solar becoming more and more popular each day, many states, local governments, and utility companies have come out with new mandates that require any grid-tied solar equipment to hold specific certifications. The same holds true for some solar incentive programs; if you’re participating in a state-funded incentive program, don’t be surprised if they have certain testing or certification requirements for your chosen equipment.

Common solar panel testing & certification standards

While reviewing a solar panel spec sheet, you’ll likely notice a bunch of acronyms and random numbers listed under safety and rating certifications – what do these mean? Below are some of the most common solar panel testing standards and certifications to look for when comparing solar panels:

IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission
The IEC is a nonprofit that establishes international assessment standards for a bunch of electronic devices, including photovoltaic (PV) panels. Importantly, the IEC does not test or certify panels themselves – they establish the standards for other testing facilities to adhere to when evaluating solar panel quality.

IEC 61215: Standards for crystalline silicon terrestrial PV modules
IEC 61215 is one of the core testing standards for residential solar panels. If a solar panel module successfully meets IEC 61215 standards, that means it completed a number of stress tests and performed well in regards to quality, performance, and safety.

IEC 61215 standards apply to both monocrystalline and polycrystalline PV modules, which are the most common types of solar panels. The IEC sets different testing standards for other types of solar electric technologies, such as thin-film solar products (IEC 61646).

Solar panels that meet IEC 61215 standards are tested on the following (and more!):

Electrical characteristics (wet leakage current, insulation resistance)
Mechanical load test (wind and snow)
Climate tests (hot spots, UV exposure, humidity-freeze, damp heat, hail impact, outdoor exposure)
IEC 61215 tests also help determine a panel’s performance metrics at standard test conditions (STC), including temperature coefficient, open-circuit voltage, and maximum power output.

What are Standard Test Conditions (STC)?
When solar panels undergo performance testing, they do so at fixed laboratory conditions, known as Standard Test Conditions (STC). Because these conditions are the same across the industry, one panel’s performance metrics (such as power rating, module efficiency, optimal voltage, etc.) can be compared apples-to-apples against other available options.

IEC 61730: Standard for PV module safety
As with any electronic device, solar panels carry the risk of electrical shock if improperly built. That’s where IEC 61730 comes in: this standard address the safety aspects of a solar panel, encompassing both an assessment of the module’s construction and the testing requirements to evaluate electrical, mechanical, thermal, and fire safety. PV modules that successfully pass IEC 61730 tests run a low risk for these types of hazards.

IEC 62716: Ammonia corrosion testing of photovoltaic (PV) modules ammonia corrosion
Do you live on or close by to a farm? If so, keep an eye out for IEC 62716 – this is a test to determine a module’s resistance to ammonia. While most people don’t have to worry about their high concentrations of ammonia exposure with their PV modules, it can be a concern if you install your solar panel system close to farms and livestock. Ammonia corrosion can accelerate degradation in a panel, leading to lower overall electricity production over the lifetime of your system.

IEC 61701: Salt mist corrosion testing
If you’re lucky enough to be installing solar panels on a beach house, it’s worth checking to see your prospective solar panels have successfully passed IEC 61701 tests. With these tests, panels undergo a series of salt sprays in a controlled environment. After the sprays, testers inspect the modules for physical damage – such as corrosion or delamination– and assess their electrical output and overall performance. Panels that successfully pass IEC 61701 tests are definitely a suitable choice for beach-front solar panel systems or systems that will be in close proximity to roads experiencing high levels of salting in the winter.

IEC 60068-2-68: Blowing sand resistance testing
Some solar panels go through IEC 60068-2-68 testing to determine how well they hold up in sandy desert environments. Frequent exposure to abrasive sand can wear a panel down, leading to physical or mechanical defects over time. If you’re installing solar in an area that sees frequent sand or dust storms, try choosing a panel that successfully passed these tests to maximize the durability of your system.

UL: Underwriters Laboratories
Outside of IEC, the other most common acronym you’ll see on a spec sheet related to solar panel testing is UL. This stands for Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a global safety certification company based in the United States. They provide testing services and certifications for many different types of products, including electric appliances, industrial equipment, plastic materials, and more.

UL 1703: Standard for flat-plate PV modules and panels
UL 1703 is an industry-standard attesting to both the safety and performance of solar panel modules. Similarly to IEC 61215 or 61703 tests, panels with this certification go through simulated climatic and aging tests and have been deemed as safe in regards to mechanical loads, fire, and electrical hazards.

You may find that a solar panel spec sheet lists both UL 1703 and IEC 61730 under safety certifications; this is pretty typical for any solar panel sold worldwide. UL 1703 is a mandate for solar panels sold and installed in North America. IEC 61730, on the other hand, is internationally recognized for safety standards and is more widely applicable to the global solar market.

UL 61730: Photovoltaic module safety qualification
UL 61730, a more recent addition to solar panel testing and certifications, combines the testing procedures and standards of UL 1703 with IEC 61730, allowing for complete international approval in regards to a panel module’s safety and performance.

It will become more and more common to see this certification over time–as opposed to both UL and IEC–because it is often the more cost-effective option for manufacturers. In order to complete solar panel testing, manufacturers need to provide multiple solar panel samples. For companies that plan to sell in both North America and international markets, solely completing UL 61730 testing reduces the number of panel samples needed, allowing for reductions in testing time and costs.

The 166mm monocrystalline HJT solar cell developed by SunEvo has achieved a record-breaking conversion efficiency of 25.23% from the recent testing of the authoritative testing institution ISFH, which means SunEvo’s sturdy improvement in HJT solar cell technology, and indicates the company’s unswerving determination and strength in achieving the particular efficiency.

It is understood that SunEvo had achieved a conversion efficiency of 25.06% for the mass production line of 166 HJT solar PV cell on June 8th, before achieving a new world record of 25.23% by adopting the microcrystalline production process when working with leading HJT equipment supplier Maxwell. According to Doctor Wang, the CTO of SunEvo, the record is a new height achieved on microcrystalline craftsmanship that is possible for mass production, as well as a reliable guarantee in attaining a mass production efficiency of 25.5%.

Senior insiders of the industry commented that the regular-sized 166mm Champion cell announced by SunEvo still uses the sputtering TCO film for the PVD mass production process, which offers feasibility in extensive mass production, while the difficulty and gold content are self-evident. The company has been aggressively exploring methods in elevating efficiency and reducing cost, and achieved constant improvement in mere months, as well as multiple critical breakthroughs in N type high-efficiency mono-Si HJT solar cell technology.

Doctor Wang commented that HJT solar cells can be further improved in efficiency by replacing the current doped amorphous silicon with doped microcrystalline silicon or doped microcrystalline silicon oxide (carbide), where both the doping concentration and light transmittance would elevate, and the electrical resistance of the doped layer would reduce, before the current density of the HJT cell is magnified at the end. Doctor Wang said that the company anticipates a constantly improving record of efficiency, and these high-efficiency technologies will be applied on the production lines to achieve extensive production under low cost and applications for GW-grade 25%+ HJT cells.

HJT still possesses a relatively large sum of impedances and difficulties in progression after 30 years of development since 1990; thus, a reinforcement in the guidance and innovation of leading companies are exceedingly important in the expedition of commercial applications of HJT, as well as the actuation of technical upgrades in the relevant equipment and materials of the supply chain. On the occasion of HJT’s 30th anniversary, the Shanghai Solar Energy Society and the TestPV Forum will once again convene the “6th International Forum for the Leading Mass Production and Supply Chain Coordination of HJT”, which centralizes global businesses and experts from the research, manufacturing, application, and investment fields of solar cells, as well as comprehensively probes into the technology and popular market topics of each segment of the HJT industry chain, and penetrates into the future development orientation of HJT cells.

For more than ten years, the classic solar module with a cell size of 156 mm (M0 wafer), later 156.75 mm (M2 wafer), was considered as the standard solar PV module and was very popular.

The times when solar module dimensions have remained on the market over a longer period of time and could be established as a standard are now over. This became particularly noticeable at the beginning of 2020 when solar module producers from China started the trend towards ever larger solar module formats. Increasing wafer sizes are responsible for this.

As recently as 2018, 156.75 mm wafers accounted for about 80% of the market. In 2020, the upheaval came to 158.75 mm wafer sizes. The module outputs here range between 325 and 345 watts, and the dimensions are about 10 to 30 millimeters larger than a classic 60-cells PV module, depending on the design – so they are still very easy to move and process. However, the 158.75 mm solar cell, which was introduced only a few years ago, is already only available to a very limited extent.

Global Market Shares of Wafers by Size

A new size came onto the module market – M6 wafers with 166mm. In 2021, it turns out that this size has become the most widely installed solar module. This is a 120 cell with typically 350 to 380 watts solar panel.

But there seems to be no end in sight. The trend shows that it is possible to go even bigger. Wafer sizes of 182 mm (M10) and 210 mm (M12) have now arrived on the market. With the new cell sizes, a new power class is also emerging: M10-based modules have between 545 and 560 Wp Solar Panel.

According to the leading companies, modules with 182 mm wafers and 210 mm wafers are clearly superior to modules with smaller wafers in terms of manufacturing costs. Therefore, modules with these wafer sizes will probably prevail in the long term and make up the majority from 2022/2023.

Installers will also have to deal with this development. On the one hand, a certain increase in efficiency can usually be provided with the use of larger dimensions. On the other hand, handling according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions is only one aspect that must be considered. Larger module areas set new requirements for the module installation and the substructure, which may have to be planned and executed completely differently, with the same or lower frame thickness.