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Sep 19 2018
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10 Cleantech Startups Compete for the Global Stage in Climate Action

By 5 Ways That Solar Energy Benefits the Environment No Comments

 

I had the opportunity to sit in on an incredible event earlier this week in the incubator space that Solar.com is currently housed in – The inaugural California Climate Cup.

The hype around Governor Jerry Brown’s recent signing of SB100, putting California on the path to 100% clean power, proved to be great timing for debuting this event, a cleantech startup competition sponsored by the California Clean Energy Fund and Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator.

The competition featured 10 companies from around the world that submitted solutions to three categories:

  1. mobility and goods movement,
  2. energy/transportation nexus, and
  3. digital solutions for sustainable cities.

Of the finalists, one winner from each category received cash prizes and a ticket up to the Bay Area to pitch their solutions before a variety of key stakeholders at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco happening that very same week. 

Three Finalists, Solstice Energy Takes Grand Prize

Congratulations to EVMatch, Wheeli, and Solstice Energy Solutions for being selected as the three category winners!

After touring the Global Climate Action Summit up north and participating in the last pitch round, Solstice Energy took home the overall grand prize.

California Climate Cup Finalists Solstice Energy, Wheeli, and EVmatch

Left to right: Soltstice Energy’s Ugwem Eneyo, Wheeli’s Jean-Pierre Adéchi, EVMatch’s Heather Hochrein

Here is a recap and personal commentary for each of the 10 companies that participated in the California Climate Cup.

Category 1: Mobility and Goods Movement

1. EnZinc

EnZinc LogoCEO Michael Burz talked extensively about the low-cost and high-energy output synergy that his team has achieved through proprietary zinc-battery technology. More of a research breakthrough at present, the business model is still a work in progress. Due to the sensitive nature of retaining IP, EnZinc plans to retain battery development until key partnerships with full-fledged manufacturers are established. The ubiquitous nature of batteries suggests that the applications of this zinc-battery technology have the potential to displace the whole spectrum of energy needs from powering electric scooters to building backup generators.

2. EP Tender

EP Tender LogoFeatures hardware that essentially looks like a detachable battery trailer for vehicles. While stationary, these units can operate as virtual power plant storage, with the flexibility of being energy agnostic – that is, fuel-powered or battery – depending on the location. While moving, the unit becomes a range extender that aims to become a fully autonomous mobile charger. However, the core value proposition is still in question, as most of the time these units will still be stationary until there is a significant adoption rate within a given city.

3. Category Winner: EV Match

EVMatch LogoPeer-to-peer charging network that aims to be the Airbnb for EV charging. The focus is on leveraging existing charging infrastructure in a non-invasive way, turning private charging options into semi-public service providers. Due to the predictable and time-consuming nature of this service, a built-in reservation function aims to make the service more reliable and seamless to catch the moment of need.

Category 2: Energy/transportation Nexus

4. Ampaire

Ampaire LogoAmpaire envisions fully electric aviation as the long-term roadmap for commercial flight. The first steps for the company involve retrofitting existing aircraft with electric power trains and motors. With the value proposition of significantly reducing fuel and maintenance costs, their first step is to prove the concept for long-term partners that will be able to supply the creation of all-electric fleets.

5. Evee

Evee LogoA peer-to-peer EV sharing platform that aims to offset the cost of ownership by encouraging owners to put up EVs for short-term rentals. The value proposition lies in offering niche services through expertise in electric vehicles, option to cover insurance, and 60% rental revenue from each transaction. The market cap is small at the moment, as the price-point for electric vehicles remains a notch above traditional vehicles.

6. Category Winner: Wheeli

Wheeli LogoUber for intercity travel and multi-hour travel, built similarly to Blablacar in Europe. The focus of this transportation network is on college students, following the Facebook model of using institution credibility to regulate safety on the network. The next step involves optimizing key routes to prioritize which universities to expand to next, then targeting other demographics that won’t compromise the security currently achieved on the platform.

Category 3: Digital Solutions for Reliable Cities

7. Aclima

Aclima LogoSensor hardware that can be installed into vehicles occupying about two shoeboxes worth of space. Mobile sensors provide more comprehensive coverage in real time to more accurately identify emissions sources. The biggest challenge seems to be proving if gathering more accurate data justifies current costs to eventually displace current stationary data gathering devices.

8. Ecomedes

Ecomedes LogoDelivers an online marketplace of high-performance sustainable products for the building industry, using data-driven analytics to help with ROI modeling. The multi-layered pricing model charges owners and sellers to use the platform. This all-in-one service model appeals to the biggest buyers would experience significant cost savings in appealing to adopting ecolabel products.

9. Exergy

EXERGY logoA distributed ledger that uses a token system to transact energy across grid-linked hardware. All the data is gathered and controlled internally to set prices for efficient service delivery to customers. By partnering with utility providers and other industry incumbents, Exergy uses third-party hardware to harvest data from electricity flows. This allows Exergy to be the intermediary between hardware providers and data sources. However, securing credible partnerships will take a while, delaying the optimal value of a decentralized network until the ecosystem is populated with data points.

10. Category & Overall Winner: Solstice Energy Solutions

Solstice Energy SolutionsRemote energy management platform aiming to eliminate the manual transfer switch that taps into the grid and off-grid energy sources. Having a robust way to monitor energy usage allows users to target the best pricing. The market focus is on Nigeria, where a majority of residential and commercial property units rely on multiple power supply sources and have no existing energy management solution. By providing real-time system analytics, Solstice additionally aims to help prevent energy failures and monitor energy misuse.

Sep 18 2018
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Complete Review of JA Solar Panel Products

JA Solar: The Comprehensive Review

By Solar Panel Efficiency - Pick the Most Efficient Solar Panels No Comments

 

Founded in May 2005 and later listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2007, JA Solar is a globally recognized manufacturer of solar technologies for residential, commercial, and utility-scale energy generation.

JA Solar is headquartered in Shanghai, China and has a large customer base in Europe, Asia, and North America. Their list of product offerings include items such as silicon wafers, solar cells, solar panel modules, and other solar energy components.

In terms of solar panel options, JA Solar has a number of variations for the customer to choose from. With the ability to get different power outputs, solar cell counts, and solar cells types, JA Solar offers a great level of flexibility that earns them a spot as a top solar panel on our reviews.

To make it easier to understand, we’ll break down JA Solar’s solar panel offerings into simple categories and explore the details of each solar panel that falls within.

JA Solar Standard Solar Module Information

The standard JA Solar panels for sale come with either polycrystalline or monocrystalline solar cells. Polycrystalline solar cells are manufactured differently from monocrystalline, and as a result, have different features.

Polycrystalline solar panels are produced by filling a mold with silicone and allowing it to set into a wafer. The uneven texture of these cells leads to many silicon crystals forming, which gives these panels a sparkling look. They are also blue in appearance.

Monocrystalline cells are produced through a much more involved process, which leads to higher efficiency solar cells and thus a higher cost than polycrystalline. These panels are also black in color.

JA Solar’s standard solar modules also come in a 60-cell or 72-cell count. Here is a table to outline the differences in power output and efficiency for these modules:

 

Solar Panel Module Max Power Output (Pmax) Efficiency
60-Cell Poly (JAP60S01/SC) 280 W 17.1%
72-Cell Poly (JAP72S01/SC) 335 W 17.2%
60-Cell PERC Mono (JAM60S01/PR) 310 W 19.0%
72-Cell PERC Mono (JAM72S01/PR) 335 W 17.2%

 

Outside of power output and efficiency, there are a few other features that differentiate these solar modules.

JA Solar’s standard panels have limited power degradation. All solar panels degrade over time from weathering, but some panels degrade slower than others. Also, each one of these modules has a high salt mist, Sand dust, and ammonia resistance, which allows you to install it in a number of climates.

These models have higher efficiency due to a lower temperature coefficient, but the monocrystalline models have a much better performance in low-light environments. Lastly, each of these modules have 5 busbars to further help with their efficiency.

JA Solar Half-Cell Module Review

In case you need a quick review, each solar module (aka solar panel) is composed of individual solar cells, the little square components within panels. JA Solar’s half-cell solar panels are unique in that their solar cells are smaller in size than the standard model.

JA Solar Half-Cell Module

JA Solar’s Half-Cell Modules

This results in higher power outputs, lower temperature coefficients, reduced shading effect on the module’s energy production, lower risk of hot spots, and an improvement in tolerance for mechanical loading.

Solar Panel Module Max Power Output (Pmax) Efficiency
60-Cell Poly Half-Cell (JAP60S03/SC) 290 W 17.4%
72-Cell Poly Half-Cell (JAP72S03/SC) 345 W 17.4%
60-Cell PERC Mono Half-Cell (JAM60S03/PR) 320 W 19.2%
72-Cell PERC Mono Half-Cell (JAM72S03/PR) 335 W 17.2%

As you can see from the above table, the half-cell modules all come in the same models as the standard. So, the only difference is what results from the half-cells.

Additionally, when it says 60-cell, there really are 120 individual cells, since the 60 original cells are split in half. Same goes for the 72-cell models.

Double Glass Module

The double glass modules have a different backsheet than the traditional polymer ones. These units are covered with heat-strengthened glass that leads to lower power degradation and higher productivity in all types of environments.

JA Solar Double Glass Panel

JA Solar’s Double Glass Modules

Overall, the double glass feature makes these modules more durable and reliable. They also come in the four options as the previous JA Solar panels. One notable difference is that the 72-cell monocrystalline panel has a much higher output and efficiency.

Solar Panel Module Max Power Output (Pmax) Efficiency
60-Cell Poly Double Glass (JAP60D00/SC) 280 W 17.0%
72-Cell Poly Double Glass (JAP72D00/SC) 335 W 17.2%
60-Cell PERC Mono Double Glass (JAM60D00/PR) 310 W 18.8%
72-Cell PERC Mono Double Glass (JAM72D00/PR) 370 W 19.0%

These glass backsheets are not transparent. Those kinds of modules are called bifacial – which JA Solar also offers.

Bifacial Mono PERC Double Glass Module

The final category of solar panel modules that JA Solar has to offer are the Bifacial Mono PERC Double Glass modules. There are also 4 options within this category — two 60-cell options and two 72-cell options.

Front and Back of JA Solar Bifacial Modules

Front and Back of JA Solar’s Bifacial Modules

JA Solar’s bifacial PERCIUM cells have the ability to generate energy on both sides of the panel. This leads to higher-performing and more cost-effective modules. This also helps with its durability and longevity.

The only difference between the two models for each cell size is that one of them has a 30mm frame added to it. This makes it easier to transport and install. Here are the other details:

Solar Panel Module Max Power Output (Pmax) Efficiency
60-Cell Bifacial Mono PERC Double Glass (JAM60D00/BP) 310 W 18.7%
72-Cell Bifacial Mono PERC Double Glass (JAM72D00/BP) 370 W 18.8%
60-Cell w/ 30mm Frame (JAM60D00/BP) 310 W 18.5%
72-Cell w/ 30mm Frame (JAM72D00/BP) 370 W 18.6%

Is JA Solar Right For Me?

From the above tables, you can see that the power output and efficiency of JA Solar’s modules are very comparable with the majority of other solar panels on the market. It is very common to see panels around 15-16% efficiency on the low end and 18-19% on the high end, although some solar panels can reach an efficiency of over 21%.

All of JA Solar’s panels are quite durable and have 10-year product quality warranties and up to 25-year power output warranties. Feel free to get on a call with one of our experienced energy advisors to learn more about JA Solar and their product offerings

Three Tips on Choosing the Best Solar Panel

We cover this thoroughly in our Best Solar Panels Guide, but here are a few quick things to keep in mind when choosing a panel brand and product for you:

  1. Understand your roof – Your roof type, space, and age will have a large effect on what solar panel system will be best for your home.
  2. Efficiency isn’t everything – You don’t need to pay extra for a 20% efficiency panel if you have enough space on your roof.
  3. Get multiple solar quotes – Use online solar design and quote tools like Solar.com to gather multiple competitive quotes. This ensures you’re getting a better deal for your system, particularly if you choose one of Solar.com’s pre-vetted installers.