Suntech Introduces Reliathon
Suntech Power today announced Reliathon(TM), an industry-first integrated solar platform combining product and business-term innovations to lower costs and accelerate the path to grid parity with the development of utility-scale solar plants. Reliathon reduces total system costs as much as 10% and offers increases in revenue potential, with 13.8% more power warranted over the lifetime of the system.
Utility Solar Platform that Reduces Costs and Speeds Up Development of Utility Scale Projects Across the U.S.
Replacing the industry's current 'patchwork' approach to designing large-scale systems, Reliathon combines Suntech module innovations, a new utility-grade warranty for the Suntech module, as well as pre-agreed preferential pricing and business terms with industry-leading inverter and tracking companies Advanced Energy, Array Technologies, Satcon, Siemens Industry and SMA.
Developed with specific customer feedback gathered from dozens of utility industry experts, Suntech developed Reliathon to combine product and business term innovations including:
-- Product innovations:
- The new Suntech Reliathon 270-watt module includes self-aligning
panels, integrated grounding, and wire management, as well as a
new "Two-in-One" design, with two 36-cell regions featuring
independent circuits that can create better output on fixed tilt
systems in early morning and late afternoon. All module
innovations result in far less labor time needed to install
Reliathon systems as well as significant reductions in material
costs.
- Array Technologies' DuraTrack(TM) system was designed specifically
for Suntech Reliathon, and makes use of two motors per MW AC
versus the typical four motors per MW, further reducing the
material costs of the system.
- The new Suntech Reliathon ground mount system perfectly matches
Reliathon modules to deliver fixed tilt solutions at lower cost
and greater profitability.
-- Utility-grade Reliathon module warranty: The Reliathon module
includes a 25-year utility-grade warranty offering an
industry-leading 12-year limited product warranty (extended from 5
years) and a 25-year peak power performance warranty now based on
annual degradation instead of 12 and 25-year step-downs. The new
annual peak power performance warranty provides Reliathon module
buyers with 13.8% more warranted power over 25 years. Overall, the
new terms warrant an industry-leading 85% power output level at 25
years.
-- Preferential pricing from industry-leading partners: Power plant
customers purchasing a Reliathon system will have access to
customized Reliathon partner products at preferred pricing and
pre-negotiated business terms offered by Advanced Energy, Array
Technologies, Satcon, Siemens Industry and SMA, providing greater
value over whole system purchase.
"To make the promising utility scale pipeline a reality, innovation and simplicity have to be driven into every level of the solar value chain -- especially installation, an area that offers huge opportunities for reduction of Balance of Plant costs," said Steven Chan, Chief Strategy Officer, Suntech. "Reliathon gives our customers exactly what they have requested: greater power output at lower cost, combined with a simplified development process."
With Reliathon, Engineering, Procurement and Construction companies, utilities and project developers have a straightforward path for vendor selection as they design their large-scale systems. Customers can select a variety of Reliathon components from the selected Suntech partners, each offering particular advantages for specific installation types, as they plan their power plants.
"Suntech has listened to the utility market and come through with innovations that simply make sense," said Frank Greb, Vice President and General Manager of leading solar engineering and construction firm RMT, Inc. "Reliathon makes it more cost effective, not to mention easier, to get utility-scale projects up and running."
SOURCE: Suntech Power
