news digest ♦ Solar


project, we are well positioned to rapidly deploy the 44-MWp Touwsrivier project”, said Gaëtan Borgers Executive Vice President of Soitec Solar Division. “Group Five, our EPC partner, has already started construction and the first of more than 1500 high efficiency Soitec CPV systems will soon be erected on the project site. Scheduled for completion by June 2014, Touwsrivier will be the largest CPV plant in the western world.”


The success of this transaction demonstrates that Soitec can plan, finance and deliver utility scale power plants based on CPV technology “Our presence across the whole value chain is an important part of our business model” added Gaetan Borgers.


André-Jacques Auberton-Hervé, CEO and founder of Soitec concluded “the strong support we received from bond investors demonstrates that Soitec’s utility- scale solar power plants can be financed like traditional infrastructure projects.” He added : “the market for utility- scale solar power plants is the fastest growing segment today. Leveraging our world-class manufacturing facilities, we will continue to execute our pipeline of over 440 MWp (*) and to develop new opportunities in South Africa and other high irradiance countries.”


EU funds program to speed up energy storage and solar energy production


The project will also focus on in-line high throughput manufacturing technologies for light weight construction for aerospace


LayTec is participating in the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) funded by the European Union (cordis. europa.eu/fp7).


Together with several other companies, LayTec will work in a research project led by Germany’s largest research organisation – Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.


The goal is the development of in-line high throughput manufacturing technologies for application in energy storage, solar energy production and light weight construction for aerospace.


LayTec will contribute to the development of process control concepts based on in-line monitoring methods allowing direct correlation of synthesis parameters with nanomaterial structure and composition.


Laytec reveals non- destructive metrology tool for solar cell analysis The firm says its new tool results in a perfect lamination


process, which is the key to high-quality modules


One of the reasons why solar modules fail in the field is the insufficient cross-linking of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) caused by vacuum lamination process deviations or unstable EVA foil materials.


Laytec says the current standard tests are slow, destructive, manual, inaccurate and patchy.


X-Link in action


LayTec’s new off-line metrology system X Link provides fast, automated, non-destructive and accurate evaluation of EVA cross-linking degree immediately after lamination. It can be integrated in every solar module production line and offers 100 percent coverage for process and quality control.


The high precision measurements are performed through the backsheet without damaging the laminated surface.


They take only a few seconds, do not influence the performance of the tested module and have a precision of ± 1.5 percent.


With X Link’s direct feedback, the lamination process can be quickly optimised for better cross-linking quality by adjusting the heating zones and the duration of lamination. Laytec claims the result is a perfect lamination process, which is the key to high-quality modules.


148 www.compoundsemiconductor.net June 2013


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