eArche solar panels performed at 87% performance ratio last September

eArche is a new and innovative solar panel launched into the global market by Dr Zhengrong Shi. It has passed international and local standards same as conventional panels.

How good is this panel, Let’s compare…….

A 72 cell conventional 325W solar panel, it is made up of silicon cells, tempered glass, anodised aluminium frames and weights no less than 22Kg.

Heavy, bulky, needs 2 installers to move the panel and each 40ft container can only fit 185kW.

Now use the same high efficiency silicon cells, replace glass with a composite material, remove the 35mm thick aluminium rails, the panel now weighs less than 7kg.

Lightweight and thin, now you can fit 600kW in a 40ft container and the same 2 installers can lift and move at-least 5 panels at once, that’s 1.625kW.

A composite material to replace glass. What about the product warranty?

This composite material is a proven material from the aviation industry used in the windows. The eArche panels has passed all IEC tests through the testing provider VDE. eArche panels have the same workmanship (10 years) and performance warranty (25 years) as the conventional panels.

Glass has a high refractive index hence causes light refraction and reflection which causes ~5% loss of light. The composite material on the eArche panels have much lower refractive index hence the light loss is much lower.

With various mounting methods, eArche can be installed much closer to the roof surface.

With conventional panels, due to the glass top, heat from the cells could only escape from the bottom hence there was always a gap between the panel and the roof surface for natural ventilation.

With eArche panels, the cooling of the cells occur both from the top side and the bottom hence silicon cells dissipate heat quicker and hence performs better.

Recently recorded energy yield data at one of the eArche sites in Sydney.

In the month of September when the optimum inclination of the solar panels is ~20°, eArche panels was at 5°.

There were zero rainy days in September, 21 days was above 20°C ambient temperature with 10 days well over 25°C.

The system size was 25.2kW. The irradiance recorded for 31 days was 163 kWh/m² which is ~5.26 sun peak hours.

The eArche system generated 3229kWh for the month as measured with a Class 1 meter.

The performance ratio was calculated to be 87%.

The ~13% loss accounts for temperature losses, soiling, voltage drop on cables, inverter efficiency and all losses that the PV system face in the field.

The monthly eArche performance ratio has been in the range ~ 85% – 94% for the last 8 months.

In addition to install on the normal roofs, EArche can be applied to the places whether:

· the roof purlins is not sized to take 15kg/m² of weight loading;

· the roof has a curve;

· aesthetics requirement or limited roof space;

· Panels don’t have to be installed 120mm above the roof material.

Happy to share more details and data…..