Sep 17

REC Group introduces high-performance solar panels for the US rooftop market

REC Group, a globally leading manufacturer of solar photovoltaic panels, will officially launch its new REC Alpha Series solar panel in the U. S. at Solar Power International’s North America Smart Energy Week on September 24 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The REC Alpha Series is the world’s most powerful 60-cell monocrystalline solar panel, delivering up to 380 watt-peak (Wp) and reaching a 21.7% efficiency rating – the measure of how well a panel converts sunlight into energy – one of the highest in the industry. This translates to a power density of 217 W/m², providing 20% more power than produced by the same number of conventional panels in the same area.

REC Group’s highly anticipated REC Alpha Series with HJT technology increases solar panel power by 20%, delivering exceptional power, reliability, value and savings to U.S. homeowners and businesses

“The REC Alpha Series’ next-generation technology shows increased energy production, with higher lifetime yield, and is designed with an incredibly strong and aesthetically pleasing, sleek frame,” said REC Group Americas president, Cary Hayes. “With the Alpha, REC creates a ‘win-win’ opportunity for our growing U.S. market of solar partners and professionals, as well as for homeowners and businesses who want higher power, more efficient clean sources of energy that deliver greater value.”

Granted a design patent, the REC Alpha Series continues REC’s pioneering and award-winning ‘Twin Panel’ design, which delivers demonstrably better performance in shaded conditions. Featuring high efficiency n-type mono wafers between thin layers of amorphous silicon, the panels are built on REC’s leadership in half-cut cell technology, a process by which standard-sized cells are laser cut in half to allow energy to flow through the panel more efficiently, featuring 120 half-cut heterojunction cells (HJT) with advanced connection technology. HJT cells combine the benefits of crystalline silicon solar cells with those of thin film technologies, enabling the REC Alpha Series to achieve much higher efficiency and energy yield, even in higher temperatures.

Featuring revolutionary cell technology, the REC Alpha Series increases the viability of rooftop solar for homeowners with smaller roofs, and it can also reduce the overall cost of an installation by requiring less materials and labor. With a REC Alpha Series installation, Americans can look forward to an increase in the value of their property. Studies in the U.S. and other countries show that a premium solar installation on the roof adds value to the property – 4.1% or $9,274 for median-valued homes in some U.S. markets – and is a highly desired extra for home-buyers, not least due to the better energy performance rating.

The REC Alpha Series is available in two versions: with a white backsheet (up to 380 Wp and 21.7% efficiency or 217 Watts/m²), and as a full-black panel for stunning aesthetics (up to 375 Wp and 21.4% efficiency or 214 Watts/m²). In addition to increased power and efficiency, the REC Alpha Series panels are backed by REC’s industry-leading 25-year product warranty (when installed by REC Solar Professionals), and a 25-year performance warranty that guarantees 92% of initial power at year 25.

From manufacturing to installation, the REC Alpha Series entire product lifecycle is streamlined for efficiency. Beyond clean power, Alpha panels are manufactured using less energy, further reducing carbon footprint. Thanks to REC’s unique, 30-millimeter-thin frame design, more panels can be shipped per pallet for more efficient distribution and easier installation. The REC Alpha Series does not sacrifice any strength and is rated to withstand snow loads of 7,000 Pa. The REC Alpha Series’ strong frame design provides extra protection against extreme weather events, reduces the chance of cell damage, and ensures continued high-power performance.

The launch of the REC Alpha Series in the U.S. continues REC Group’s long-term presence in the U.S., based on strong collaborations with key U.S. solar industry partners for more than a decade. Since 2015, the U.S. market has grown to represent more than 50% of REC’s global solar panel sales, which serve both residential and commercial solar demand. With total installed U.S. photovoltaic capacity expected to more than double over the next five years, REC Group looks forward to providing greater value, higher power and more efficient solar to the increasing number of homeowners and businesses who chose to benefit from clean energy.

Join REC Group CEO Steve O’Neil and REC Americas President Cary Hayes for the debut of the Alpha Series at Solar Power International’s North America Smart Energy Week. For more information, visit the REC booth 1637 at 3:30 P.M. MST on September 24, or go to www.recgroup.com/alpha.

For U.S. inquiries and more information about REC at SPI please contact:
Melissa Watson
Marketing Manager, REC Group - Americas
Tel.: 720-771-7790
E-mail: melissa.watson@recgroup.com

For global inquiries please contact:
Agnieszka Schulze
Head of Global PR, REC Group
Tel.: +49 89 54 04 67 225
E-mail: agnieszka.schulze@recgroup.com

About REC Group:
Founded in Norway in 1996, REC Group is a leading vertically integrated solar energy company. Through integrated manufacturing from silicon to wafers, cells, high-quality panels and extending to solar solutions, REC Group provides the world with a reliable source of clean energy. REC’s renowned product quality is supported by the lowest warranty claims rate in the industry. REC Group is a Bluestar Elkem company with headquarters in Norway and operational headquarters in Singapore. REC Group employs 2,000 people worldwide, producing 1.5 GW of solar panels annually.

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