LG solar announces increased production capacity

LG Electronics the electronics equipment and solar specialist through its subsidiary LG solar announced an increase in NeON solar module production capacity for Q3, 2014. 

The LG NeON  model range , since its launch in 2013 and winning the Inter Solar Photovoltaic Award in 2013, has seen demand increase significantly, with the Australian office facing monthly nearly 2000 more panel  orders, than can be currently supplied. This has lead in the past to waiting period for customer of up to 4 weeks.

“Luckily this shortage and waiting time will soon be a thing of the past as we will add 120 MW of annual capacity by August”, said National Solar Sales Manager, Markus Lambert.”

The increased NeON capacity will follow close on the heels of a recent revision of cell format, which was spearheaded by LG Solar’s extensive research team, resulting in the A3 module being replaced by the latest B3 solar panel range.

In this new B3 model range LG has increased the active cell surface while retaining the same module size, through a more efficient use of the module’s outer edge and in-between areas. Optimised finger lines on the cells further increase efficiency and contribute to an even longer shelf life.

The MonoX B3 solar modules continue with generous positive power tolerance as standard and are now available as 275W modules with 280W modules to follow by the end of the year. With this new product release LG has increased efficiency of their modules from 235W in 2011 to 250W in 2012, 260W in 2013 and now 275W in the Mono-X range and 300W in the NeON range. All these models weight in at 17,3 kg, representing one of the lightest 60 cell modules on the market.

Also, the distinctive black design of the MonoX modules has been enhanced because of the reduction of the white spaces between the cells.

In August 2014, an additional MonoX NeON production line will be put into operation in Gumi, South Korea, with an aim of producing NeON modules at a capacity of an additional 120 megawatts per year. This results in a total production capacity for LG solar of 600 megawatts for 2015.