Reviewed – Moser Baer Solar Panels
Moser Baer is one of India’s leading technology companies, formed in Delhi in 1983. The company’s solar PV side was established between 2005 and 2007 and manufactures crystalline solar PV in a 170MW fully automated production facility. It exports its products to 83 countries worldwide. The panels are rigorously tested to international standards with certifications including IEC 61215 (Edition II), IEC 61730 (Safety Class II), CE, UL 1703, IEC 61701, JET and MCS. The modules are CEC listed and subjected to Ammonia resistance tests. The company also produces thin-film PV certified to IEC 61646, IEC 61730, IEC 61701 and CE.
The multicrystalline modules are coated with a silicon nitride anti-reflection layer to enhance efficiency. They also have textured and tempered glass to increase light absorption. The modules are fairly robust with anodized frames and designed to withstand hardy conditions, particularly the Max Series modules. These modules come with a 5-year warranty with a performance warranty of twelve years at 90% power and 25 years at 80% power.
MB modules are fairly expensive but this has to be balanced against the high quality. They are one of the few panel manufacturers to have received a 5-star rating from the German standards body, TUV Rhineland. The Max series also have salt mist certification so they can be used in coastal areas. Moser Baer has stated that it expects its solar PV business to account for two thirds of the company’s total receipts over the next two to three years. Alongside crystalline PV it has also moved into thin-film and has several ongoing 300 MWp projects in Germany, Italy, the US, Australia and India. Recently it received $58m from GE for a solar power project at Cagliari in Italy which will employ more than 90 people and power over 10,000 homes, helping to curb over 25,000 tonnes of CO2 every year. The company hopes to install more than 1500 MW worth of solar generation capacity in India by 2015and preparing to enter capital markets in order to raise funds.