JinkoSolar to begin shipping Tiger bifacial modules

• Chinese module manufacturer is stepping up its prowess with 314 MW of new high-efficiency Tiger modules being released to the market.

Module manufacturer giant JinkoSolar today announced that it is releasing its first shipment of 314 MW of its new Tiger bifacial modules in the first quarter of 2020 for an “ultra high-voltage demonstration plant” in the Qinghai Province of China.

The modules being shipped are the new Tiger product line’s bifacial design, which the panel producer says provides 10% more power output, and .4% efficiency gains. Boasting an efficiency of 20.78% and power output of up to 460 Watts, JinkoSolar claims that its new Tiger bifacial product drives EPC costs down by one percent.

“The gap between lab-based efficiency that’s theoretically achievable and what’s out there in the factory has been broad, and what really makes JinkoSolar unique is that we are closing that gap at a breakneck pace,” JinkoSolar CEO Kanping Chen told pv magazine. “We have seen a lot of excellent record efficiency results in the lab, but our customers didn’t believe that the achieved power class could be reached at such an affordable price.”

Popular with immediate demand, a large 13.6 MW order that came from Photon Energy alongside the company’s unveiling of the product this fall. While pricing information for its Tiger modules was undisclosed, Jinko said that its pricing will remain the same even with increased production for the premium module line. The company CEO says its working on another upgraded product, Cheetah+ which will achieve a power class of 430-440 W, as an alternative for customers not wishing to pay an output premium.

Beyond growing its distribution and existing product lines, Chen says that the company plans to double its sales and services centers over the next one to two years.