Solar for Homeowners - FAQ - TCL SunPower Global

0 Results

What are Solar Panels Made of?

Solar Cells

Solar Panels

PV solar panels are like puzzles made of tiny solar cells, enclosed in glass. These cells are made of silicon, a bit like computer chips. They have a positive part and a negative part that work together to make electricity, kind of like a battery. Solar panels also have special glasses, adhesives and coatings to protect these cells and keep them working well even in different weather conditions.

What are the advantages of TCL Solar shingled TOPCon panels?

No items found.

The advantages of shingled TOPCon panels include:

Higher Efficiency: The smaller 1/3-cut cell design significantly lowers the internal current and shortens the path for the electricity to flow, resulting in lower resistive losses and improving efficiency.
Cooler Operating Temperatures: Lower current helps to reduce the power dissipation in the form of heat. This simply means lower cell operating temperature, improving thermal performance in real-world and high-temperature installations.
Extended Panel Lifespan: Reduced heat and lower thermal stress help minimize long-term power degradation and improve reliability over the panel’s lifespan.
Improved Shade Tolerance: Smaller cells operate more independently, so shading on one area has minimal impact on the rest of the panel, reducing overall power loss in partially shaded conditions.
Enhanced Mechanical Strength: Smaller cells experience less mechanical stress, lowering the risk of micro-cracks and improving durability during transport, installation, and operation.
Maximized Active Area: The shingled, overlapping cell layout eliminates inactive “dead zones” between cells, ensuring the entire panel surface is used to capture more sunlight and increasing energy production.
Flexible Inter-Cell Connections: Advanced flexible interconnections improve resistance to temperature swings, reduce the risk of ribbon failure, and enhance reliability. Tested beyond industry standards for thermal cycling, shingle panels ensure reliability in the field.

By combining N-type TOPCon cells and shingled design, shingled TOPCon panels deliver higher efficiency, cooler operation, and exceptional long-term reliability—engineered for maximum performance in real-world conditions.

What are the advantages of TOPCon panels?

No items found.

The advantages of TOPCon panels include:

Higher Efficiency: TOPCon cells in mass production can reach efficiencies of over 25%. This results in higher power output and better energy yield for the same installation area.
Lower Degradation: TOPCon modules exhibit lower first-year degradation and slower long-term annual degradation, ensuring more consistent energy generation over the panel’s 30-year lifetime.
Enhanced Durability: The thin oxide layer provides excellent protection against moisture, temperature fluctuations, and environmental stress, improving long-term reliability and reducing performance loss over time.
Lower Temperature Coefficient: With better resistance to heat, TOPCon modules maintain higher efficiency in hot conditions. This is especially valuable in sunny regions or during peak summer months, where traditional panels may suffer larger efficiency drops.
Superior Bifacial Performance: TOPCon modules offer a higher bifaciality rate, enabling them to capture more reflected and diffuse light, which in turn boosts total energy yield—especially valuable in commercial and utility-scale installations.
Improved Low-Light Performance: Thanks to excellent passivation and reduced electron recombination, TOPCon panels perform better during early mornings, late afternoons, and cloudy days. This extends daily energy production and enhances overall system output.

With superior performance in all operating conditions, TOPCon sets a new benchmark for high-efficiency, future-proof solar technology.

What are the advantages of using Back Contact panels?

Solar Panels

Higher Power Generation:

Superior Shading Performance: Back Contact modules limit power loss to only the shaded area, reducing shading impact by up to 34% and delivering stronger performance in sites with moving or uneven shade.

High Reliability:

Improved Microcrack Resistance: Full-backside thermal welding design improve the module’s reliability under mechanical loads and temperature fluctuations.
Reduced Risk of Hotspot: Low breakdown voltage and uniform breakdown across the entire cell help reduce the dissipated power, protecting the module from hotspots and improving module reliability.

With industry-leading efficiency, intelligent shade management, and exceptional durability, Back Contact technology delivers higher-yield and more reliable modules—setting a new benchmark for solar industry.

What are the benefits of partnering with SunPower?

Solar Panels

As a SunPower installer, you gain access to:

Industry-leading high-efficiency solar panels.

Dedicated technical support and training.

Exclusive pricing and financing options.

A trusted brand with over 40 years of solar innovation.

Sales and marketing support to grow your business.

Visit our Installer Partner Program to learn more.

What are the benefits of using smaller 1/3-cut solar cells in a panel, compared to full-size or half-cut cells?

Solar Panels

Smaller 1/3-cut cells significantly reduce internal current and shorten the path electricity must travel within the panel. Lowering the internal current leads to a substantial reduction in resistive losses compared to full-size or even half-cut cells. This directly improves panel efficiency while also lowering operating temperatures—an important factor for long-term performance and durability, especially in hot climates. By integrating the smaller 1/3-cut TOPCon cells with advanced shingled design, shingled TOPCon panels deliver higher efficiency, cooler operation, and outstanding long-term reliability for real-world performance.

What does G12R+ stands for?

No items found.

G12 refers to the wafer size. R+ is a specific way to cut the wafer to create cells of 210x182 mm.

What does intelligent shade management in Back Contact technology mean?

Solar Panels

Maintenance

One of the great advantages of Back Contact technology is its intelligent shade management. Thanks to the cell’s low breakdown voltage and unique architecture, each cell exhibits a built-in cell-level bypass diode function. In practice, this means a shaded cell can effectively bypass itself, reducing its energy consumption, while preventing major system-level power loss in partial shading. More importantly, this design minimises hotspot formation and supports more reliable long-term operation. For installations with intermittent or uneven shading—whether from vegetation, bird droppings, surrounding buildings, or dust, Back Contact provides a clear performance advantage.

What does TOPCon mean in solar technologies?

No items found.

TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) technology is one of the most advanced solar cell technologies available today, designed to deliver high efficiency, reliability, and long-term performance. Building on traditional PERC technology, TOPCon introduces an ultra-thin tunnel oxide layer and a passivated contact structure that significantly reduce the electron recombination losses. This means more of the sunlight hitting the panel is converted into clean, usable energy. With its blend of high efficiency, low degradation, and excellent performance in both harsh conditions and low-light environments, TOPCon has rapidly become the preferred choice for residential rooftops, commercial buildings, and utility-scale solar farms aiming to maximize energy production from every square meter.

...

5 / 8

Support Centre for Homeowners

Please call our support team

Ready to connect with a local installer for your new solar project?