A Trina Solar ended 2022 by starting series production of 210 mm N-type i-TOPCon cells, used in the new generation of 595 W Vertex N modules. According to the company, large-scale manufacturing is a guarantee of order delivery, which provides greater predictability for customers to execute their projects.
In total, the company needed five months to build and put into operation the factory, which involved investments of 4 billion yuan (around US$600 million). With the capacity to produce the equivalent of 8 GW in cells per year, construction of the unit, which is located in Suqian, around 800 km south of Beijing, China, began in July last year.
In November, the machines were already being installed in the project, which has 70 thousand meters². Production of i-TOPCon Type N cells began on December 30th. “Photovoltaic generation projects require a certain predictability and guarantee that suppliers will be able to meet delivery deadlines”.
“The entry into operation of our new factory in such a short period of time shows the capacity and commitment that Trina has in serving its customers,” said Daniel Pansarella, country manager for Trina Solar in Brazil.
According to the manufacturer, the 595 W Vertex N modules, which begin to be shipped to Brazil in this first quarter, benefit from the new cell's innovative size and low voltage.
“The model is perfect for trackers measuring 104 meters in length, because it reduces wasted space: six to 12 modules with more than 595 W can be connected to the trackers compared to conventional N-type models with 72 cells and 78 cells”, he highlighted. the company.
As P-type PERC approaches its efficiency limits, the company highlighted the importance of intensifying N-type cell production. Seven years ago, Trina began focusing on developing N-type cell technology.
The first steps were taken with the construction in China in 2016 of the N-type empirical base for centralized generation. Three years later, they delivered 500 MW of i-TOPCon to two Top Runner projects in China.
In 2021, they created a pilot line of 500 MW N-type i-TOPCon modules based on the 210 mm product technology platform. Trina Solar's 210mm N-type technology module capacity is expected to reach 30 GW this year.
