China-based PV manufacturer Seraphim Solar will supply smart modules to a 9MW PV plant project developed by the Kanowna Solar PL in New South Wales, Australia.
The plant is expected to use 27,500 units of 325W Seraphim MX Modules with integrated cell string-level Maxim optimizers. Construction will start on the plant in early 2019.
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A Seraphim release touted the smart module as enabling up to 1.5x more modules per string, thanks to its voltage-limiting feature. It also said the modules can minimize DC system mismatch losses and long-term degradation rates.
“We are delighted to cooperate with Kanowna on this unprecedented smart solar project. It's a milestone of huge importance to both companies, and also for the entire Australian solar market,” said Polaris Li, president of Seraphim.
“We are very pleased to be working with Seraphim on this ground-breaking project. Our engineering team spent several months carefully studying the benefits of these optimizers. The Maxim optimizer used by Seraphim is ideal for utility-scale solar due to its extremely cost-effective design coupled with intra-module sub-string level optimization,” said Dr. Emma Mailler, GM of Kanowna Solar.
Seraphim recently announced that it will establish 500MW of solar cell manufacturing capacity in South Africa. The expansion plans also include facilities for 200MW of half-cut cell module assembly in the country.