The internationally authoritative third-party organization DNV GL carried out the third round of assessment of the BOS costs and LCOE of Trina Solar’s 210mm Vertex module in February. The assessment took place in Aomori prefecture, Japan, with BOS costs and LCOE compared between two sets of 210mm Vertex and 182mm modules, both with landscape-fixed tilts. According to the resulting report, Trina’s Vertex 210mm 545W mono-facial module can cut BOS costs by up to 6.3% and LCOE by 5.8% compared with the 182mm 535W mono-facial module used in the assessment.The Vertex 600W mono-facial module was also shown to perform as well in reducing BOS and LCOE (5.6%) as a 182mm 585W module used in the comparison exercise.
Where the assessment took place
In Aomori prefecture on the island of Honshu, with coordinates and conditions as follows:
Local GHI & DHI and ambient temperature data
At the site, with the 166mm 450W mono-facial module as the benchmark, DNV GL compared the BOS cost and LCOE of the Vertex 210mm 545W mono-facial module and the 182mm 535W mono-facial module, as well as the Vertex 210mm 600W mono-facial module and the 182mm 585W mono-facial module, all with landscape-fixed tilts. In the assessment, the capacity of the AC side was 10 MW with the same DC/AC ratio, with the four-row landscape-fixed tilts commonly used in Japan and with mainstream string inverters. In order to objectively compare the impact of different types of modules on the BOS cost and LCOE, the project as a whole used similar meteorological data and design input conditions. The five comparisons were all based on local costs to be consistent, comprehensive and objective when comparing local construction costs, on-grid tariffs, operational and maintenance costs and land costs.
Assessment results: BOS fell 6.3% and LCOE 5.8%, maximizing customer value
Vertex’s innovative low-voltage design connects more 1,500V modules so that significant BOS cost savings and LCOE reduction can be achieved on the fixed tilt by greatly reducing the number of module strings, connecting 8-9 more modules in a single string than is the case with 182mm modules. Firstly, it can cut material and labour costs involving DC cables and racking systems, reducing initial investment. Secondly, the ultra-high power can reduce the number of modules in the setup and speed up construction, further reducing total investment costs. Finally, with superior power generation, Vertex is able to maximize value for customers by ensuring minimum LCOE.
The DNV GL report found that Trina Solar’s Vertex 210 mm module cuts costs in many areas.
As the PV industry embraces grid parity, the Vertex series has a prominent edge in LCOE as a result of Trina Solar’s continued push to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This assessment followed two earlier rounds of assessment of Vertex modules in January and December.
The assessment in December found that the 545W bifacial dual-glass Vertex module withsingle-axis (1P) trackerhad the best LCOE, 3.5% less, and performed significantly better than the conventional 166mm-450W and 182mm-535W modules in terms of BOS costs. (https://mgr.trinasolar.com/en-glb/resources/newsroom/mathe-way-best-lcoe-ii)
DNV GL’s assessment in January focused on the LCOE advantage and value of the Trina 600W+ Vertex Bifacial Dual-Glass Module with Single-Axis 2 portrait installation (2P) tracker. The report found that Trina Solar’s Vertex 210mm bifacial dual-glass module could cut BOS by up to 6.32% and LCOE by 3.72% compared with a 166mm bifacial dual-glass module. (https://mgr.trinasolar.com/en-glb/resources/newsroom/mathe-way-best-lcoe-i-%E2%80%93-system-value-assessment-trina-600w-vertex-bifacial-dual)
In the report of this third assessment, DNV GL again confirmed the value of Trina’s Vertex modules, in being able to maximize value for customers by ensuring minimum LCOE.