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Dec 05 2017
Love0

An Overview of Panasonic’s Solar Panel Offerings

By Solar Panel Installation Process No Comments


With all of the advances in the solar industry, it is getting more practical and affordable to start using solar. In fact, the price of solar panels has dropped over 80% since 2008. One of the most innovative companies to focus on in this burgeoning industry is Panasonic.

Panasonic was founded in 1918 and is a japanese electronics corporation that offers a wide range of products and services.

Since 1975, Panasonic has been at the forefront of research and development in the solar energy industry. It started with their work in amorphous solar cells, which are types of thin-film solar cells. Now, Panasonic’s solar offerings fall under the HIT trademark, featuring silicon heterojunction solar cell technology.

HIT Photovoltaic Modules

In 1997, Panasonic introduced the first form of their HIT photovoltaic modules. With this technology, they continued to grow their solar offerings and now offer significantly cheaper and more efficient products.

Panasonic’s proprietary silicon heterojuntion solar cells, or HIT modules, was the most important development for their solar systems. Currently, the HIT modules have the world’s highest output temperature coefficient.

The output temperature coefficient of solar panels relates to how much of the stored heat is converted into usable, electrical energy. Having the highest conversion efficiency here means that you will be producing more energy for a given system than an equally sized system using different modules.

Currently, Panasonic has 5 solar panel offerings on their website. Let’s take a look at each model and its specifications.

Solar Panel Options

  • N330 Photovoltaic Module HIT – Specifications include 330W power output, 19.7% panel efficiency, high-efficiency performance at high temperatures, water drainage frame, and light capturing technology.
  • N325 Photovoltaic Module HIT – Specifications include 19.4% high panel efficiency, water drainage frame, and light capturing technology.
  • N320K Photovoltaic Module HIT Black – Specifications include 19.1% module efficiency with all black appearance, high-efficiency performance at high temperatures, water drainage frame, and light capturing technology.
  • N315K Photovoltaic Module HIT Black – A powerful and high-efficiency solar panel that performs at high temperatures has a water drainage frame and light capturing technology.
  • N310K Photovoltaic Module HIT Black – Same as above but with slightly less efficiency.

All of these solar panels come with 3 additional features. This includes

  1. Pyramid Cell Structure Technology – This unique structural feature of their solar panels allows the module to absorb more sunlight and reflect less. This leads to more energy generation.
  2. Heterojunction Technology – Their proprietary solar panel technology is composed of several silicon layers, which reduce losses and result in higher energy output.
  3. 25 Year Product and Performance Warranty – Panasonic claims that their panel’s power output is guaranteed to 90.76% after 25 years, which is greater than other companies.

The pricing for Panasonic’s solar offerings varies depending on the specific solutions that you are looking for. You can contact us to learn more about these options.

An Innovator in the Industry

Panasonic has always been an innovator in the solar energy industry. With technological developments spanning over 40 years, they now have a claim towards the world’s highest conversion efficiency, which separates them from other players in the market.

The solutions that Panasonic offers for both individuals and organizations cover the entire life cycle of a project including everything from installation to long-term maintenance. If you are looking for options, Panasonic equipment is definitely worth evaluating.

Dec 04 2017
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Environmentally Homes We Love

5 Eco Homes We Love

By 5 Ways That Solar Energy Benefits the Environment No Comments

Eco homes are a means of finding our way back to a healthy relationship with the natural world. We’re realizing that creating balance with our environment is better than dominating it.

There are so many advantages to modern life, but embracing them with awareness and responsibility is essential.

Prioritizing sustainability in building a home or vacation spot yields inspiring, and often stunningly beautiful, results. Here are 5 eco-friendly homes we absolutely love.

1. La Jolla Home – Indoors Meet Outdoors

ecohome

Photo by Brady Architectural Photography

This elegantly designed California home is full of natural light framed by reclaimed building products. The family who built it recycled materials from the demolition of the 1927 house that stood before.

Using local wood and other eco-friendly materials, the structure is entirely sustainable. Complete with concrete floors, airy windows, and solar panels, it’s a house with minimal heating and cooling needs.

Read more about the home and the family who dreamed it up at Dwell Magazine.

2. An Eco-Conscious Island Home

sustainable home

Photo by Jeff Mcnamara

When architect Fred Stelle set out to make a getaway home on Fire Island in New York, he knew he was in for a challenge. Importing to an island is always tricky, particularly to a small island with narrow dirt roads.

But with some thoughtful planning and smart material selection, Fred and his wife were able to add to the list of resilient and stunning eco homes.

They used bamboo for the floors and cedar for the frame and interior siding, both of which have long lifespans.

Bamboo is a favorite wood of sustainable builders, as it grows back in seven short years (as opposed to 40 or 50 years for most wood). Cedar is particularly durable and was selected to withstand the harsh climate fluctuations of seaside living.

3. Eco Cabin on Stilts in Washington State

eco friendly home

Photo by Olson Kundig Architects

Delta Shelter was constructed mostly off-site with a minimal footprint on the surrounding area. This eco cabin is elevated from the elements and allows light in to warm it naturally. Steel rollback shutters also block out the sun to keep it cool in the summer.

In fact, there’s no air conditioning. The old-fashioned heating and cooling system utilizes solar warmth and skips electricity altogether. 

Learn more about the minimal eco getaway here.

4. Geothermal and Solar Home in New Jersey

eco home

This house of the future’s most famous feature is the geothermal and solar heating system beneath the driveway and sidewalk. It made news when winter storms dumped heavy snow on the Northeast in 2016.

While their neighbors dug themselves out, Asit Parikh and his family watched the white stuff melt from the comfort of their home.

This handy winter maintenance trick isn’t the only boast-worthy feature. The same geothermal and solar system also warms the floors of the house in the winter and the ceiling in the summer months.

The stove and water heater are also solar powered, and the house even captures rainwater, which is stored in tanks and heated for family use.

Go to CBS New York to learn more about the house and see a video.

5. Eco-Friendly in Lexington Massachusetts

eco tiles

This family home in a Boston suburb takes eco-friendly to a whole new level. Using recycled glass tile, bamboo, and wheatboard instead of solid wood, they sourced materials with minimal ecological impact.

But the family’s level of dedication to a clean home shines even more with the addition of toxin-free window coverings and furniture. From beds to bedding to couch cushions, the home is accented with organic and formaldehyde-free materials. They see it as a cleaner environment for the family and less of an ecological impact in the future.

What are some of your favorite sustainable homes or building materials? Let us know in the comments below!