Qcells launches its Q.FLAT G-5 mounting system into booming French market

The Q.FLAT G-5, specifically designed for flat rooftops, will be launched into the French solar market having been granted an ETN (Enquête de Technique Nouvelle) license following a positive evaluation.

[Berlin, Germany, November 14, 2019] a world-leading total energy solutions provider from solar cell and module to energy storage, management and retail, has this week launched its award-winning mounting system for flat rooftops, the Q.FLAT G-5, into the French market.

The arrival of the Q.FLAT G-5 has been highly anticipated in France, which expects further acceleration of its commercial and industrial (C&I) solar sector thanks to sustained support from the French government. The Q.FLAT G-5 is already available in other leading European solar markets such as Germany, the Netherlands and the UK, and its arrival in France having recently been granted technical license, the ETN (Enquête de Technique Nouvelle) represents another milestone for Qcells as a globally active total energy solutions provider.

Specially designed for flat rooftops

In 2018, the Q.FLAT G-5 mounting system was recognized by the judges of the Solar+Power Award for its innovative approach to installing solar modules on to flat rooftops, and was bestowed with the award for best BOS innovation.

Such recognition was the result of many years of hard work at the Qcells R&D headquarters in Thalheim, Germany, where a dedicated R&D team sought to improve upon the previous iteration, the Q.FLAT G-4. The chief aim of the Q.FLAT G-5 was to help end customers enjoy a lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), which has been achieved thanks to its innovative design.

The Q.FLAT G-5's specially designed clamps ensure that modules can be quickly and easily secured, cutting installation time in half when compared to the Q.FLAT G-4. Furthermore, the 10° inclination on both sides also ensures optimal solar energy yield, helping to deliver a power density of 170 Wp/m². This sets a new standard in power-per-surface area for solar, and as such makes the Q.FLAT G-5 a perfect solution for the types of large, flat rooftops found throughout the French C&I space.

Government support for the growth of France's C&I sector continues in the form of a series of tenders, the most recent of which in October saw more than 268 projects with a combined total of 130 MW of solar capacity awarded for projects ranging from 100 kW to 8 MW in size. Next year, an additional tender for C&I installations for systems ranging from 200 kW to 8 MW will be launched, with an estimated 300 MW of capacity assigned to auction and ring-fenced solely for this sector.

Stephan Maurel, Head of Sales France for Qcells, said: "We have worked hard to achieve this ETN especially for the French market. We believe that the Q.FLAT G-5 is an excellent solution towards meeting -year solar program has set ambitious goals to install vast amounts of new PV capacity each year for the next six years, of which a growing portion of that will be in the C&I rooftop space which is a growing, under-tapped market.

"By ensuring that our valued Q.PARTNER can offer their customers this award-winning flat rooftop mounting system, Qcells once again demonstrates its ability to meet the ever-changing needs of the French solar sector, and continues to play a leading role in driving the nation's steady energy evolution."

About Qcells

Q CELLS is one of the world’s largest and most recognized photovoltaic manufacturers for its high-performance, high-quality solar cells and modules. It is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ) with its diverse international manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Malaysia, China, and South Korea. Qcells offers the full spectrum of photovoltaic products, applications and solutions, from cells and modules to kits to systems to large-scale solar power plants. Through its growing global business network spanning Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East, Qcells provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, governmental and residential markets. For more information, visit: www.q-cells.com.

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Contact:
Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH
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Oliver Beckel, Ian Clover
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