Suntech is announcing 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.

Included in Reliathon are:

• 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™ HZ-R 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.
  
  

Preferential business terms and pricing from four of the top inverter companies as well as tracking components from select Suntech partners. Partners include Siemens Industry, Advanced Energy, Array Technologies, SMA and Satcon.

A first of its kind “utility grade” solar module warranty developed specifically for the unique needs of our power plant customers. Key features include an industry‐leading 12‐year limited product warranty (extended from 5 years), and a 25‐year peak power performance warranty 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.

As the domestic utility‐scale solar market grows, innovation is needed at every level of the solar ecosystem to cut down costs and speed installation. As the world’s largest module manufacturer, Suntech is well positioned to take the lead in re‐designing our own products to be optimized for power plants, and to build a coalition of solar industry players keen to adapt and integrate their offerings with Suntech Reliathon modules.

With this in mind, Suntech gathered input directly from dozens of EPCs, utilities, and system developers to learn what they were looking for in an ideal utility-scale solar platform. Their feedback illustrated the market’s need for reduced Balance of Plant cost as well as ease of project development. With this input, we worked with our internal R&D team as well as select partners to develop Reliathon. Reliathon systems cut non‐module Balance of Plant and labor costs as much as 25% for utility customers, and increase the profitability of systems with industry-leading warranty terms.

Suntech estimates that Reliathon systems can reduce labors costs up to 25% and balance of plant component costs as much as 25% for an estimated total savings of 10% across a solar power plant. Assuming a $4 per watt installed cost, Reliathon will save project developers $40 million per 100 megawatt project. Exact savings will vary based on project location, commodity prices at the time of installation, and other factors.

Utility customers will receive preferred pricing and special business terms from our carefully selected Reliathon partners, who represent the industry’s most innovative and reliable inverter and tracking providers.

At a product level, partners are offering redesigned or reconfigured products that specifically match or optimize for Suntech’s Reliathon module. Array Technology’s new DuraTrack HZ-R product, for example, reduces costs by eliminating mounting parts made redundant by Reliathon’s new integrated design, and redesigned for power plant conditions with a 10 year warranty. Inverter companies can ensure they ship products configured for Reliathon module specifications.

At a business terms level, Suntech has pre‐negotiated with its Reliathon platform partners preferential pricing and special terms and conditions tailored specifically for the needs of power plants, developers, financiers and owners.

We are offering a diversity of inverter choices to our customers because each of the four inverter companies provides specific advantages for different types of installations. By simplifying the business terms and pricing of the systems as a whole, we take out much of the time and effort that system developers spend on negotiations, and provide customers with the choice they want when planning out their systems.

No. Components will be contracted for and shipped by each vendor directly to the project site.

Yes, but we believe very few customers will choose this option given the pricing, contract terms, and warranty benefits of Reliathon Ready inverters.

Project developers can be sure that the best possible innovations and business terms are available when they see the “Reliathon Ready” certification. (See above for specifics on customization and innovations available with Reliathon partners.).

Suntech remains focused on continued innovation and cost reduction for our customers. As such, we are open to significant developments that can bolster the impact of the Reliathon system. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for information about becoming a Reliathon partner.

Contrary to some popular notions, the landscape of a world relying on PV would be almost indistinguishable from the landscape we know today. There are three reasons for this. First, PV systems have siting advantages over other technologies. They can be put on roofs and can even be an integral part of a building, such as a skylight. Second, even ground-mounted PV collectors are efficient from the perspective of land use. Flat-plate PV technology is the most land-efficient means to produce renewable energy. Third, adequate sunlight is ubiquitous and often abundant, and present in predictable amounts almost everywhere.

For example, in the United States, cities and residences cover about 140 million acres of land. The nation's energy requirements could be met simply by applying PV to 7% of this area - on roofs, on parking lots, along highway walls, on the sides of buildings, and in other dual-use scenarios. Not one single acre of new land would need to be appropriated to make PV the primary energy source.

Simply put, the Suntech Reliathon annual output warranty reduces overall project risk. The low annual degradation ensures higher and more stable annual revenues for the project investors for the life‐time of the project. In the early years of the project, the annual warranty provides certainty that investors will be able to meet the project financing requirements related to interest and principal repayments and cash flow reserves. In the later years of the project, the warranty preserves the project value because it secures reliable revenue stream until year 25.

An industry first, the Reliathon warranty offers customers a newly created 25‐year warranty on Reliathon modules, reducing the financial risk of project development and boosting profitability.

Extends Suntech’s current 5 year Limited Product Warranty to 12 years. 25‐year Limited Peak Power warranty. Introduces a new annual performance warranty with a step down percentage of between 0.5 to 1.0% of the Rated Power of the Module. See warranty for details.

We have paid special attention to the power output over the first 20 years of the Reliathon system, which is a critical period in terms of securing project financing. The decrease to 1% at year 22 reflects the systematic approach we took to defining a progressive warranty over time that offers the industry’s most competitive assurance of 85% power at year 25.