Global shipments of PV modules in 2023 are likely to be more than 300 GW (equivalent to 300 nuclear power plants), further increasing their share of new power plant construction worldwide. On the other hand, the installed PV capacity in Japan in 2023 was about 5-7 GW, only about 2% of the global market.

Chinese manufacturers dominate more than 80% of the production of PV modules, the symbol of PV power plants, and the momentum of Chinese module manufacturers, including four major companies (Jinko Solar, Trina Solar, JA Solar, and LONGi Solar), continues unstoppable. In addition to leading the global PV module market, major companies are aggressively standardizing cell and module sizes in order to increase price competitiveness against non-PV power sources.

In this column, we introduce the PV module output, size, and major product lineups of leading manufacturers at this time.

1. Module length 1722 –1800mm:

We presume that this is the most popular size for the largest number of projects in Japan today.

(a) 1762 x 1134 x 30mm:
Monofacial: TSM-445NEG9R.28, JKM445N-54HL4R-V
Bifacial: JAM54D-445/LB, TSM-435NEG9RC.27
(b) 1722 x 1134 x 30mm:
Monofacial: LR5-54HTH-440M, CS6R-440T, VBM410FJ03N (35mm), SFC415-108B
Bifacial: YL430CF54e/2, SFC410-108AG(c) Other sizes:
1721 x 1133 x 40mm: NU-415G (Monofacial)
1730 x 1118 x 30mm: REC420AA Pure-R (Monofacial)
1728 x 1205 x 30mm: REC460AA Pure RX (Monofacial)
1800 x 1134 x 30mm: CS6.1-54TD-460 (Monofacial)
1805 x 1035 x 30mm: SPP395QHEH (Monofacial)

2. Manufacturer (industry) standardized size modules:

(d) 2382 x 1134 x 30mm:
This is the size agreed upon by the nine module manufacturers in 2023. It is probably the most versatile size in the world today, and substitutes are readily available.
Monofacial: TSM-575DE19R, CS6.1-72TD-610
Bifacial: TSM-600NEG9RC.20, LR7-72HGD-605M, JAM66D45-610/LB, CS6.1-72TB-605, JKM610N-66HL4M-BDV(e) 2278 x 1134 x 30/35mm:
This module is the most popular standardized size, which has become the mainstream after 2021. We are interested to see how much progress will be made in the transition from the previous standardized size (2278mm) to the current standardized size (2382mm).
Monofacial: LR5-72HTH-585M, JAM72S30-550/MR, CS6W-585T, JKM590N-72HL4-V-J, YL555D-49e 1/2
Bifacial: LR5-72HGD-580M, JAM72D30-550/MB, JAM66D42-585/MB, CS6W-580TB-AG, JKM585N-72HL4-BDV-J, YL580CF72 e/2

3. Module length 1900 – 2000mm:

This module size can be easily adapted to the pitch of a folded-plate roof for roof-mounted projects, etc. In addition to Japan, the module is also in demand in Europe and Australia.

(f) 1900-2000 x 1134 x 30mm:
1906x1134x30mm: JKM485N-60HL4-V-J (Monofacial)
1961x1134x30mm: TSM-495NEG18R.28 (Monofacial)
1994x1134x30mm: CS6.1-60TB-505 (Bifacial)

4. Large modules (output of 600 watts or more):

These modules are designed for large-scale PV power plant applications, with some models having a maximum output of 700 watts. In the world, it is used in 1GW-class PV power plants. In Japan, due to the limited area of suitable sites, these modules are installed only in large-scale projects that meet certain conditions.

(g) 2382/2384 x 1303 x 33/35mm
Monofacial: TSM-665DE21, CS7N-670MS
Bifacial: TSM-695NEG21C.20, CS7N-700TB-AG, YL670DF66f/2(h) 2465 x 1134 x 30/35mm:
Bifacial: JAM72D42-630/LB, JKM630N-78HL4-BDV-J

Please contact us if you are interested in evaluation and comparative study of power plant development and design, renovation and repowering of existing power plants, expansion, module replacement, etc.