From pv magazine:
“This composite material is used in applications such as wind turbine blades, to withstand wind pressure, vibration and centrifugal force, as well as railway tracks, to withstand the pressure and vibration of passing trains,” a spokesperson from the company told pv magazine. “Fiberglass-reinforced composite materials have been used for over 20 years in outdoor environments and fields with higher load requirements, with countless successful application cases.”
Fiberglass-reinforced composite for panel frames is fascinating on a number of levels.
- Panel frame wouldn’t need grounded, which is a very weird thing to think about.
- Would it make the panel heavier or lighter than aluminum frames? Presumably heavier.
- Not having to deal with any leakage to ground through the panel frame in 20 years might actually lead to better longevity.
- Then again, I don’t know how fiberglass-reinforced composite will fare after 30-40 years in direct sun. We know the silicon lasts forever if it’s treated well, but will the composite match aluminum’s durability?
- This would be worse for recycling
What do you think?