LONGi Solar revolution- technology innovation in a nutshell
Over the last decades the total number of installed PV systems has skyrocketed. In 2021, global cumulative solar PV capacity amounted to 940 gigawatts, with roughly 168 gigawatts of new PV capacity installed in that same year. Solar power stations are not only the cheapest and the most ecological way of producing electricity, it’s also a big market – from installers to manufacturers. It’s impossible to imagine a PV system without solar panels. They maintain a lot of space compared to the other parts of the system and represent 15-20% of the entire system cost.
Nowadays, there are thousands of players on the market, but just a couple of companies belong to Tier1 manufacturers and one of them is LONGi Solar. The company was established in 2000 and nowadays it’s among the biggest supplier of PV panels worldwide. And it’s not the only achievement of this manufacturer. LONGi has hit a lot of records for efficiency.
Technology innovation
In May 2017 LONGi launched the bifacial and dual glass module based on the bifacial PERC cell well ahead of the competition. Since then, LONGi has continued to promote the bifacial module to increase its global market share. LONGi’s total shipment of bifacial modules has reached 20GW (2017.5~2021.06)
LONGi’s PV bifacial module used 2+2 mm dual glass to reduce panel weight and POE encapsulation to increase reliability. The adoption of a frame avoided damage to the module during installation and long term use, with the design of a short frame without the C side reduced shading on the cell’s rear side, enhancing energy yield.
At the moment there is a tendency to replace the M6 product portfolio with M10 successors in a smooth way covering all key application scenarios. It caused the reduction of module manufacturing costs and system BOS costs. Based on a thorough analysis of module manufacturing and deployment processes, optimal module dimension is determined, and a corresponding wafer/cell size of 182mm was deduced. LONGi believed that the increase of size should stop at 182 (182 72c, 2.56M (m252), 32.3kg, ~ 540W). Future innovation should focus back on the improvement of efficiency and power generation. The size of PV modules is not the bigger the better. It is necessary to comprehensively consider the boundary conditions.
LONGi’s innovations are not just limited to technology. The company hopes to integrate innovations and create an open, collaborative platform. This is essentially a new way to connect with industrial partners, universities, research institutes, PV start-ups, as well as customers and colleagues. In an ecosystem, all elements come together in active collaboration and interaction that enables us to design innovative solutions to drive the solar-led energy transformation.
In the past ten years, the cumulative R&D investment has exceeded $1,568 million, ranking first in the PV industry. And LONGi has obtained 1,387 authorized patents. In 2021, LONGi invested $689 million on research and development, accounting for 5.43% of operating income, a YoY increase of 69.55%.
Solar modules Hi-MO 5 a new line Hi-MO 6
LONGi Hi-MO 5
LONGi’s Hi-MO 5 high-efficiency PV modules are widely used all over the world, from alpine grasslands to desert wastelands, and from ponds and vegetable beds to household dwellings. LONGi’s ultra-high-value solar panels continue to benefit customers and local economies with its advantages of “higher power, lower degradation and higher reliability”. Because of its high power rating and efficiency, Hi-MO 5 can be more cost-effective in terms of BOS. Hi-MO 5 can increase the power of a single string and thus increase the plant’s DC:AC ratio when using string inverters, which can reduce the cost of electrical equipment and thus reduce the LCOE. In addition, Hi-MO 5 can reduce the cost of module logistics due to its higher utilization of container space.
LONGi Hi-MO 5m
Hi-MO 5m panels are a perfect solution for residential commercial and industrial applications. The Hi-MO 5m 54-module uses M10 (182mm) industry standard solar cells, produces a maximum power output of 415W, and achieves an efficiency of 21.25%. This product will further improve the LONGi DG product matrix, bringing more value and choice to global customers.
LONGi Hi-MO 6
The Hi-MO 6 includes four series—Explorer, Scientist, Guardian, and Artist—all of which are in the standard M10 size (182mm) and are available in 72C, 66C, 60C, and 54C types. The module’s aesthetic appeal evokes the minimalist style of modern industrial design and naturally complements a wide variety of application scenarios.
Hi-MO 6 Explorer
Classic, but with revolutionary changes the unique high-efficiency HPBC cell structure sets a new standard for PV technology.
Hi-MO 6 Scientist
Propelling the clean energy transformation into the Terawatt Era with ultra-high performance.
Hi-MO 6 Guardian
Empowering an intelligent future by equipping an optimizer delivers smarter life.
Hi-MO 6 Artist
This unique product is perfect for architects and designers. With different color varieties of glass, such as Beige, Grey, Brown, Cyan Blue and Cyan Red, it can be matched to different design solutions.