September 18, 2012, Seoul – STMicroelectronics (ST), a global semiconductor company in various electronic device applications, has introduced the SPV15 family of high-efficiency cool bypass switches for solar modules. This product significantly increases the amount of energy produced and delivered to users, and reduces the cost per watt of regenerated energy. This new bypass device boasts the smallest size in the industry and can be directly integrated into solar modules, which is expected to simplify installation and lower purchasing costs.

ST's Cool Bypass Device combines efficient power switching and intelligent control on a single chip to compensate for various phenomena caused by hot spots and shadows on solar panel surfaces. This latest device can save up to 1% of the energy generated and lost when using typical bypass diodes. In a 1 MWp solar power plant, this amount of loss is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of two average European households.

This latest cool bypass device features new technologies and control techniques that minimize energy loss in all operating modes. This is made possible by an integrated power switch that provides very low leakage current during turn-off and very low voltage drop during turn-on. Another benefit of reducing power loss through the integrated power switch is that it lowers operating temperatures, thereby realizing not only reliability but also extended product lifespan. By utilizing this device, the lifespan of solar devices can be extended up to 25 years.

The SPV1512 and SPV1520 cool bypass switches have operating voltages of up to 12V and 20V, respectively. Products for other voltages (up to 120V) are scheduled to be introduced in late 2012 or early 2013 in industry-standard D2PAK and TO-220AC packages.

The SPV1512 is available in an extremely small 5 x 6 x 0.75mm-high VFQFPN package, allowing bypass circuits to be attached to the back of each solar panel. This eliminates the need for multiple junction boxes and connectors, simplifying design and installation and reducing the cost per panel by approximately 5%.

Renewable energy efficiency and climate change
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the solar photovoltaic sector is the fastest-growing renewable energy technology over the past decade, with total solar power generation capacity reaching approximately 65 gigawatts.

The IEA’s Energy Technology Perspectives recommend continued investment in solar power to reduce system costs and increase generation capacity. If global temperature rise is kept within 2°C, such investments could reduce energy-related carbon dioxide emissions by more than half of 2009 levels by 2050.

Matteo Lo Presti, General Manager of ST’s Industrial and Power Conversion division, stated, “As solar power generation capacity continues to grow, efficient and cost-effective solutions such as our cool bypass switches will make an increasingly significant contribution to saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Key Features of the SPV 15 Product Family
• 100mV forward voltage drop
• 10µA leakage current at reverse polarity
• Very high resilience to electrical fatigue
• Extended lifespan due to low operating temperature
• High efficiency

Samples of the SPV1512 and SPV1520 are currently being provided to key customers, and formal product production is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. The price is set at $2 per unit for orders of at least 1,000 units. For pricing on larger orders, please contact your nearest ST Korea branch.