MANUFACTURINGAUTOMATION
M
odern photovoltaic productions require a high level of automation
and an excellent mastering of technology processes. Advanced technologies are used to guarantee highest quality to the customer. This article presents the solar factory of Conergy in Frankfurt, Germany, and gives an overview on the requirements of modern PV factories. Special focus is set on the advantages of a fully integrated factory, which covers all production steps from wafer to module.
The target of solar cell and module manufacturing is to achieve excellent product quality to assure 25 years of performance as well as highest efficiency at lowest cost per Watt peak. Since construction work got underway back in November 2006, Conergy AG has invested around €250 million in setting up a fully integrated large-scale production facility (Fig.1).
On a total production area measuring 35,000m2, high-performance “made in Germany” modules are produced 24 h/day. Conergy SolarModule incorporates three fully automated and fully integrated production lines in one building, covering the full process from the silicon wafer production to the finished module. The innovative arrangement of production lines in a single hall shortens transport routes and manual handling is reduced to a minimum. Currently the factory produces 220-250 MW / year.
The production has an integrated quality system according to DIN EN ISO 9001 and 14001. All the solar modules manufactured in Frankfurt exhibit positive performance tolerances. They all have at least the declared performance, which the customer has paid for. In addition, Conergy provides a 12 year warranty on 92 percent of the module performance. Conergy guarantees 80 per cent of the nominal capacity for 25 years – five years longer than the legally compensated term.
In the plant’s own laboratories and a special climatic chamber, the solar modules along with their components are subjected to rigorous testing. Alongside production research and development activities assure the high quality standard of the Conergy PowerPlus modules and permit continuous improvement in the production
processes. The Conergy PowerPlus (CPP) modules are type-approved in accordance with the international standards IEC/EN 61215 Ed. 2 (testing the quality, durability and reliability of the modules) and IEC/EN 61730 (testing the electrical and mechanical safety).
The optimization of CPP modules is combined with the optimization of photovoltaic systems using the experience of Conergy in systems, inverter and mounting systems. Since Conergy also produces invertors and mounting systems it provides customers with all essential components required for a photovoltaic plant from Conergy’s in-house production. Conergy is a one-stop provider of expertise, individual components and complete systems. Conergy is close to the customer on four continents and has already realized solar systems with a power output of over 1 GW in these regions.
Module manufacturing
High automation in module production is essential for a superior product quality, which needs reproducible processes in every part of production.
Fig 1: Conergy’ solar plant in Frankfurt(Oder), Germany
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Fig 2: Conergy’s products: Conergy Power Plus
www.solar-pv-management.com Issue II 2011
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