Good reasons to trust in Antaris Solar PV panels

Solar panels have to be reliable, efficient AND economically priced to make a solar power system provide the best returns for decades to come. With the mono- and polycrystalline high performance solar module series from ANTARIS SOLAR you benefit from the latest German PV technology at competitive prices – to make the most efficient use of the power of the sun.

For maximum security, for you AND your customers, ANTARIS SOLAR offers a unique 30 year performance and 12 year product warranty. Our financial stability means that we will be there in years to come to ensure all warranties are honoured with our locally backed customer services. Extensive quality testing by renowned German institutions like TÜV Nord, PICON Solar or TEC Institute ensures that ANTARIS SOLAR panels conform to highest German and international standards.

These are all good reasons to partner with us – and don’t forget that ANTARIS SOLAR was awarded test winner in the last module comparison conducted by TEC Institute.
And there is even one more benefit: Our modules are also available in black version to meet aesthetic preferences of even the most sophisticated customers.

The solar module with the highest energy yield

ANTARIS SOLAR AS M 190 is test winner in module comparison

In the latest comparison test by the TEC Institute, solar modules from various providers were tested on the basis of their performance in the event of low solar radiation. The ANTARIS SOLAR AS M 190 module achieved the highest energy yield per individual module and therefore prevailed as the test winner.

Achieved the highest energy yield in the comparison test: the AS M 190 from ANTARIS SOLAR  Image: ANTARIS SOLAR For the large range of photovoltaic modules available, objective performance tests and product comparisons provide valuable guidance with regard to product selection. With the monocristalline AS M 190 module, ANTARIS SOLAR participated in a long-term study by the TEC Institute for Technical Innovations in which modules from eight different providers were tested on the basis of their performance in the event of low solar radiation. Good performance even in the event of low solar radiation is decisive for achieving an optimum annual yield, especially in regions with large seasonal variations in solar radiation. “Very good” rating for ANTARIS SOLAR module With a yield of 265.8 kWh/kWp, the monocristalline AS M 190 module from ANTARIS SOLAR supplied the highest energy yield per individual module and, rated as “very good”, emerged as the test winner. Four module types from other providers were close behind the AS M 190. The comparison test took place between 1 September and 30 November 2011. During this period, the sun was very low in the sky at the test location in Germany, with the global radiation being considerably lower than in the summer months. To conduct the test under real conditions, the modules were installed on a roof. The modules faced due south with an angle of inclination of 30 degrees so that there was no shading. The modules tested were connected in separate strings, each of two or three modules of the same type, depending on the module voltage and the MPP voltage of the inverters. One inverter was used for each string. It was also ensured that the cable length of the test strings was as consistent as possible. In addition to the module power, the weather conditions (temperature, air pressure, wind, precipitation, humidity) and the global radiation were measured throughout the entire testing period. This alignment of the weather situation and the module yield performance enabled objective assessment of the actual energy yields of the tested solar modules.

ANTARIS SOLAR PV-panels proved to have outstanding heat resistance

Maximum performance even under extreme conditions

A recently conducted temperature benchmark test at the Photovoltaics Institut Berlin (PI) showed that ANTARIS SOLAR PV-panels of the type AS M 185 are outstandingly robust. Even when exposed to extreme temperatures no negative effects on module performance or components could be detected. The ANTARIS SOLAR module is therefore ideally designed for use in hot regions and desert areas.

Solar modules are made for sunshine. But even for pv panels solar radiation can have negative effects when it is too strong. Also, not all modules can cope with large variations in temperature.

In a recently conducted temperature benchmark test the Photovoltaics Institut Berlin (PI) has tested solar modules of different providers for their behaviour under extreme temperatures. Therefore, modules where placed in a climate chamber and exposed to variations in temperature ranging from -40°C to 85°C. In the final stage of the test the modules had to stand nearly eight hours at a temperature of more than 85°C and one hour at over 100°C.

The experiment showed that not all modules could cope equally well with extreme temperatures and large variations in temperature. After the experiments, several modules exhibited physical damages and further tests revealed a significant loss of efficiency for a part of the panels under consideration.
The solar panel of ANTARIS SOLAR proved to be a positive exception. The AS M 185 module left the climate chamber without any physical damage and the following flash test proved unimpaired performance capacity.

Dr. Ilka Luck from PICON SOLAR, that manages the QM-measures for ANTARIS SOLAR at the Photovoltaics Institute Berlin sums up the results of the temperature benchmark test: “Our experiment has shown that not all pv modules resist such large variations in temperature and extreme heat or cold.” Further tests supported the result that modules as robust as the AS M 185 from ANTARIS SOLAR are appropriate for long-lasting usage even under extreme temperatures and above-average solar radiation.

Dr. Michael Göde, CEO of ANTARIS SOLAR is excited about the positive outcome: “The results show that the ongoing quality improvement of our modules pays off.” According to Göde, good heat-resistance is an important feature of ANTARIS SOLAR modules because they are intended to allow long-lasting usage even in areas with extreme climate conditions like tropic regions and deserts.

ANTARIS SOLAR module AS M 185 offers reliable performance and maximum yield even under extreme conditions.

Photo: ANTARIS SOLAR

Durable even in salty conditions – ANTARIS SOLAR modules pass the salt spray corrosion test

The ANTARIS SOLAR AS M monocrystalline modules have proven their ability to withstand extremely salty outdoor conditions in a salt spray test performed by Photovoltaik-Institut (PI) in Berlin. The test confirmed that ANTARIS SOLAR modules are particularly well-suited for installations in coastal regions with a high degree of salinity in the air and heavy rainfall.

Photovoltaic systems are always at risk of corrosion that could lead to decreased performance. However this risk is considerably higher in coastal areas, which are typically subject to greater than average rainfall and levels of salinity.
That is why ANTARIS SOLAR commissioned the Berlin-based Photovoltaik-Institut (PI) to put the ANTARIS SOLAR AS M series monocrystalline modules through their paces in a salt spray corrosion test according to DIN EN 60068-2-52.

The test took seven days to complete. During that time, the modules were sprayed four times with salt spray, for two hours at a time, with a salt concentration of 5.0 g/l. The modules were then stored in a damp chamber with a relative humidity of 93 percent and a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius. Finally the modules were subject to a three day drying process in a room heated to 23 degrees Celsius. This DIN test simulates, under laboratory conditions, several years of operation on a conventional roof-mounted installation.

After the entire test cycle had been completed, the ANTARIS SOLAR modules were checked for material damage and their performance capacity was tested. This inspection revealed no damage to the module structure, or any adverse impact on the performance of the modules. The ANTARIS SOLAR AS M modules in question showed no signs of external damage and their yield capacity was unaffected, even after intensive exposure to salt water and humidity.

“In order to guarantee the long service life of our modules, even in the most varied and potentially challenging conditions, we regularly subject them to tests that simulate extreme environmental factors,” says Dr. Michael Göde, Managing Director of ANTARIS SOLAR. “Recently, we successfully tested the resistance of our modules to ammonia. And now that they’ve also passed the salt spray corrosion test, we can confidently recommend our solar modules for use in particularly salty conditions, such as coastal regions.”

The ANTARIS SOLAR AS M series modules are exceptionally durable in salty conditions, making them ideal for installation in coastal regions.

The ANTARIS SOLAR AS M series modules are exceptionally durable in salty conditions, making them ideal for installation in coastal regions.
Image: ANTARIS SOLAR

ANTARIS SOLAR modules pass a very special kind of ammonia test

A beast of a performance even after six months in a pigsty

ANTARIS SOLAR had its monocrystalline high-performance modules ANTARIS ASM 180 and ASM 185 tested for their resistance to ammonia. The endurance test was run by the TEC Institute for Technical Innovations under unusually realistic conditions: The test involved hanging the modules in a pigsty for six months. The ANTARIS SOLAR modules came through the procedure without visible damage and without measurable deterioration in performance.

Waldaschaff, 22/11/2011. Agricultural buildings often have large roof surfaces which are ideal for installing photovoltaic systems. However, with stalls – buildings used to house animals – there is the risk that the animals’ vapours – especially from poultry and swine – could corrode solar modules and thus adversely affect the material and performance. Therefore, resistance to corrosive ammonia (NH3) plays an important role for the long-term performance of solar modules.
That’s why ANTARIS SOLAR had its high-performance monocrystalline modules from the ASM 180 and ASM 185 series tested for ammonia resistance by the TEC Institute for Technical Innovations.

Innovative test design: Long-term and unusually realistic
The current standard ammonia tests for PV modules are restricted to runtimes of less than a month, and all take place under laboratory conditions. Some of these tests even use sulphur dioxide (SO2) instead of ammonia (NH3). By contrast to these procedures, the TEC Institute chose an innovative test design which emphasised realistic requirements for the modules. As a result, a test period of six months was selected, and the modules to be tested were not hung in a laboratory: instead, they were suspended from the ceiling in a large pigsty with roughly 1,000 animals. That ensured that the modules really were exposed to all substances which occur in the real environment of a full stall. The ammonia concentration in the immediate vicinity of the modules was recorded and documented throughout the entire test period.

ANTARIS SOLAR modules continue to deliver a beast of a performance after six months in a pigsty
After the six-month test period, the ANTARIS SOLAR modules were tested thoroughly in the TEC Institute for Technical Innovations. After dirt deposits which had formed inside the stall were cleaned off, no external damage was visible on the modules. Neither the aluminium frames nor the rear films, front glass panels, connection sockets, cables, plugs or silicon seals showed signs of corrosion. The performance characteristics of the modules tested was not affected by their time spent in the company of animals. In a flash test, the ANTARIS SOLAR modules retained their full performance even after six months in the ammonia-rich atmosphere.
“Buildings used for agriculture still offer large roof surfaces ideal for PV use. So we are delighted that our modules are also suitable for use in this area due to their high ammonia resistance,” are ANTARIS SOLAR CEO’s Dr. Michael Göde’s comments on the results of the unusually long-term test in the pigsty.

Here you find the TEC review “Studies on stability of mono-crystalline PV modules against ammonia”

Ammonia test passed with flying colours – Even direct contact with animal vapours does not adversely affect ANTARIS SOLAR modules.

Ammonia test passed with flying colours – Even direct contact with animal vapours does not adversely affect ANTARIS SOLAR modules.

Copyright: ANTARIS SOLAR