DMEGC Solar launches steel-frame PV modules with S-shaped section, bifaciality up to 85%

DMEGC Solar, based in Jinhua, China, has launched a new series of photovoltaic modules with steel frames in place of the traditional aluminum ones. The announcement is dated 10 November 2026 and was published on adnkronos.com adnkronos.comadnkronos.comadnkronos.comOpen source ↗. The company presents the series as a change in frame engineering aimed at durability and at energy capture on the rear side of the module.

Steel instead of aluminum

According to the company's technical documentation, the steel grade used has a tensile strength nearly double that of standard aluminum alloys. When properly mounted, the modules withstand a snow load of up to 6000 Pa and a wind load of up to 5000 Pa.

The company also points to thermal expansion. The coefficient of thermal expansion is 12 (10⁻⁶ m/k) for steel, 6.9 for glass and 23 for aluminum. DMEGC says this match means steel-framed modules experience far less environmental stress over their lifetime and a lower risk of micro-cracks than aluminum-framed modules.

To address concerns about steel corrosion, the company uses Zn-Al-Mg coated steel (ZAM). According to the announcement, the modules have passed independent tests for salt mist resistance and ammonia resistance adnkronos.comadnkronos.comadnkronos.comOpen source ↗.

S-shaped section and bifaciality

The new frame has an "S-shaped" cross-section. Traditional frames cast shadows on the rear side of the module, and the company says its section reduces vertical shading on the back by 76%. This increases the unshaded rear area by 3.6% and, theoretically, raises the bifaciality factor by approximately 2.8%.

DMEGC states that, combined with new cell technologies and an anti-reflective coating (ARC) on the back glass, the modules can reach a bifaciality factor of up to 85%.

According to the company's yield simulations, a bifaciality factor of 85% corresponds to an annual power generation of 2,078 kWh/kWp/year adnkronos.comadnkronos.comadnkronos.comOpen source ↗. This is an additional 0.6% gain in power generation revenue compared with conventional modules. The figures come from the manufacturer's simulations and technical documentation.