Maxeon Solar Technologies Ltd. says it is commercializing its new Maxeon Air technology platform.
The result of five years of research, development and testing, Maxeon Air enables the production of frameless, thin, lightweight solar panels with efficiency and performance equivalent to standard solar panels. Maxeon Air panels will be featured in selected projects in Europe in the second half of the year. General product availability is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2022.
“The Maxeon Air technology platform continues our 35-year legacy of solar panel technology innovation and once again demonstrates the ability of our R&D team to develop disruptive technology,” says Jeff Waters, CEO of Maxeon Solar Technologies. “For close to 50 years, the solar power industry has almost exclusively utilized glass superstrate panel construction. As solar panels have increased in size – and the cost of solar cells has been dramatically reduced – the cost of transporting, installing and mounting large glass panels has become a relatively larger portion of total system cost. With Maxeon Air technology, we can now develop products that reduce these costs while opening up completely new market opportunities such as low-load commercial rooftops.”
Maxeon Air solar panels are ultra-light, robust and fire-certified panels that can be adhered directly to the roof without the need for racking or other mounting systems. The first product introduction using the technology will target installation on roofs that are not engineered to support the weight of conventional solar systems. In Europe alone, the company estimates that there is an unserved annual market for low-load roofs of over 4 GW.
Maxeon Air solar panels incorporate several innovative features including:
- Lightweight and conformable: No metal frame and no heavy glass are used in the panel, and the adhesive mounting system further reduces weight, as no racking is needed.
- Peel-and-stick design: The factory-integrated adhesive layer enables the installation of the solar panel directly on the roof surface without racking, anchors or ballast. This reduces installation time and minimizes business disruption during installation.
- Energy yield: Maxeon IBC solar cells are the most efficient on the market. The resultant Maxeon Air solar panel, with an efficiency of 20.9% combined with a low power temperature coefficient, shade tolerance and wide spectral response, delivers maximum energy yield from a limited rooftop area.
- Certified: Engineered to the highest safety standards and certified for fire resistance, Maxeon Air solar panels are designed to resist the stresses imposed by installation and long-term weather exposure.
For more information on the new Maxeon Air technology platform, click here.
