Sägewerke Christen AG

Sägewerke Christen AG in Luthern (Canton of Lucerne) runs the first energy-self-sufficient and CO2-neutral saw mill in Switzerland. The in-roof PV system of the saw mill's production and storage halls was developed by SunTechnics Fabrisolar AG from Küsnacht. It has a power of 900 kWp and produces up to 6,000 kWh of solar energy each day. The 6,000 m2 system consists of PC05A Honey multicrystalline solar modules with a power of up to 260 W. It supplies electricity for the operation of the saw mill and for 300 homes - a total of 900,000 kWh each year.

The in-roof solar modules provide weather protection and are connected by means of prefabricated aluminium profiles that ensure impermeability to rain.

A saving of more than 3,000 tonnes of CO2 each year is made thanks to this new solar power (PV) system and the two existing wood-fired power plants of the saw mill. Especially in the mountainous country of Switzerland, PV modules require high power, an optimum response to weak lighting conditions, and a high snow load.
For this reason, Trina Solar uses a pressure of 10,800 pascal as the basis for the snow load tests for its products, whereas the IEC standard requires only 2,400 pascal.

With its above average efficiency rate, the Honey TSM-PC05A module approaches the performance levels of monocrystalline modules. New cell texturing reduces surface reflection from 23% to below 4%, which increases cell efficiency by 0.3 - 0.5%. The special metallization of the Honey cells intensifies this effect.