Mitsubishi Solar Panels Mostly Stand Up To Salt Water Corrosion

Those of you who’ve always dreamed of opening a little solar-powered beach -bar on an island somewhere, take note: Mitsubishi Electric, Inc. recently confirmed that its UD5 and UJ6 photovoltaic modules can be installed near salt water. This is good news for the industry, as corrosion has long posed an obstacle to solar installations in sea ports, resort areas, on islands, and in other areas within 500 meters of the ocean.

Mitsubishi conducted extensive factory testing on its photovoltaic modules, simulating several tens of years of corrosive atmosphere equivalent to the salt deposit rates for both U.S. and Japanese coastlines. The company found that although the racking and other metal elements of the system showed weathering, the power output of the modules was not significantly affected.

“Extensive testing was conducted in response to requests from customers to install our modules near the ocean. We were pleased with the findings, as this illustrates the durability of our modules and allows us to install our PV modules near sea ports and other salt water areas,” said Gina Heng, general manager for Mitsubishi Electric’s photovoltaic division, in a statement.