industry news ♦ Solar
This is a very exciting result, especially when it comes so soon after the previous 14.3% achievement from last September, NREL solar researcher Rommel Noufi said. An almost 1.5% absolute increase in efficiency in such a short time on a continuous roll-to-roll manufacturing line is impressive and demonstrates good process control and a validation of the MiaSolé approach.
This achievement significantly narrows the efficiency gap between manufacturing performance and cells produced in the laboratory (20.3%), Noufi pointed out. It also moves CIGS technology well on its way to achieving DOE’s target of $1 per Wp photovoltaic systems, he said.
MiaSolé now offers bank financeable solar modules with efficiency comparable to polysilicon combined with the lower manufacturing costs of thin-film modules.
MiaSolé’s unique manufacturing process deposits CIGS on a flexible stainless steel substrate and produces all of the layers required for its highly efficient solar cell in a single continuous process. MiaSolé is the only thin-film solar company that uses sputtering processes in every step of the coating process of the solar modules, thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost of production.
MiaSolé will ship 22MW in 2010. The company’s products are designed for utilities and independent power producers to use in industrial scale deployments such as large-scale rooftop and ground mount installations.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
MiaSolé is a pioneer and leading developer of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film photovoltaic solar panels, one of the lowest- cost, highest efficiency solar panels in the world. MiaSolé’s primary mission is to advance the extraordinary potential for harnessing solar power as a competitive, sustainable energy source and enable grid parity by 2012. Based in California, MiaSolé currently operates two manufacturing facilities.
Centrotherm Smiling With 14.4 % of Sunshine PV
The initial investment of a single-digit amount in millions of euros in the CIGS solar cell manufacturer is part of a capital increase. The stake is to be expanded to a total interest of around 25 % early next year.
Centrotherm photovoltaics has purchased 14.4 % of the share capital of Taiwanese CIGS thin film solar module manufacturer Sunshine PV.
Wholly-owned centrotherm photovoltaics subsidiary Photovoltaics Asia Invest Pte. Ltd., Singapore, has invested a single-digit amount in millions of euros in Sunshine as part of a capital increase. The stake is to be expanded to a total interest of around 25 % early next year.
With the share purchase, centrotherm photovoltaics has taken an important strategic step to introduce new second-generation selenium plants at Sunshine, thereby advancing centrotherm photovoltaics’ CIGS thin film technology. The investment enables a close cooperation with Sunshine that allows manufacturing systems to be operated and further optimized under real mass production conditions.
“We are pleased to further develop this second thin-film generation jointly with Sunshine. CIGS thin-film technology offers enormous potential. With this step, we are backing this future market in a targeted manner”, comments Frank Stubhan CEO of centrotherm photovoltaics AG’s Thin Film Module division. “We are currently experiencing major interest for CIGS technology from potential new customers.”
Together with its Taiwanese customer, the South German company is working on boosting efficiency and throughput at the pilot plant. Sunshine is currently starting to sell the first modules from its Taiwanese production base.
Centrotherm photovoltaics AG, which is based at Blaubeuren, is a leading technology and equipment provider for the photovoltaics sector. The company equips well-known solar companies and new sector entrants with turnkey production lines and single equipment to manufacture silicon, crystalline solar
November/December 2010
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