Control and power function integration that improves efficiency by directly upgrading the bypass diode

– STMicroelectronics ( www.st.com , Country Manager for Korea Sung-keun Kang), a world-leading power semiconductor company, announced innovative solar panel technology that enables more energy to be delivered from each cell to the power grid. This innovation replaces simple bypass diodes with intelligent devices that improve efficiency within the same package outline. By adding energy to solar panels, the new technology product rapidly increases the return on investment (ROI).

ST's new SPV1001 incorporates a low-loss power switch and a precision controller. The SPV1001, which can directly replace bypass diodes used to prevent hotspot effects, can prevent energy loss typically occurring in individual diodes. The secret to achieving this improvement lies in the use of ST's BCD6 chip manufacturing process, which enables the integration of high-efficiency power devices with logic control circuits.

Pietro Meniti, General Manager of ST’s Industrial and Power Conversion division, stated, "The SPV1001 addresses a critical challenge in today’s solar industry. High-efficiency solar cells that provide high output currents require improvements in supporting power devices." “By applying advanced technologies such as BCD process technology to the SPV1001 along with ST’s energy conversion expertise, customers can establish a solid foundation to enhance solar power generation with a significantly improved price-performance ratio,” he said.

In addition to package options that allow for one-to-one replacement of bypass diodes in solar panel junction boxes, the SPV1001 features extremely low two that can be laminated directly onto the panel.