Showing posts with label Micromorph. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Micromorph. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Auria ramps up 60MW Micromorph line in record time

TAINAN, TAIWAN & TRUBBACH, SWITZERLAND: Auria Solar has become the first manufacturer to reach the mass production stage with Oerlikon Solar’s industry leading end-to-end manufacturing technology for high efficiency Micromorph thin film silicon solar PV modules.

Oerlikon Solar’s advanced process integration technology and on-site customer support helped Auria Solar reach the mass production stage, and attain IEC certification from TÜV Rheinland, in record time. Oerlikon Solar and Auria Solar ramped up the entire 60 MW Tainan facility and brought it to mass production in less than eight months after the move-in of equipment.

“Oerlikon Solar was our preferred supplier because of its proven technology, superior panel performance, comprehensive customer service and unmatched track record in delivering the fastest time-to-market. We are extremely impressed with the speed in which Oerlikon Solar’s expert team was able to bring our Micromorph end-to-end fab to mass production,” says Dr. Chi-Yao Tsai, CEO of Auria Solar.

“With our own innovations and state-of-the-art technologies, Auria Solar can already produce modules with 120 W stabilized power output and 9 percent conversion efficiency. Furthermore, the low-cost manufacturing process enabled through Oerlikon Solar’s leading-edge, end-to-end solution will help us reach the target of grid parity in the foreseeable future.”

Oerlikon Solar’s tandem-junction Micromorph process will enable Auria Solar to produce 60MW of highly efficient, cost-effective thin film silicon solar PV modules per year. “We congratulate Auria Solar in being the first end-to-end producer of our Micromorph® technology. Auria Solar achieved a fast ramp-up of certified high-performance PV modules resulting from our proven end-to-end line solution,” states Jeannine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar.

Dramatically accelerated IEC certification
The TÜV Rheinland IEC master certificate enables Oerlikon Solar’s customers like Auria Solar to accelerate their own IEC certification process, reducing time-to-market for certified high-performance modules from six months to less than six weeks.

“We believe Oerlikon Solar is one of the premier equipment and module technology providers in the thin film silicon solar PV market. They have proven their ability to scale world-class technologies and processes to mass production, and passed all of our tests,” stated Willi Vaassen, Head of Renewable Energy division, TÜV Rheinland.

The TÜV IEC master certification is valid worldwide and is just one part of the established portfolio of solutions Oerlikon Solar offers its customers to enable rapid ramp-ups to mass production of thin film solar PV modules.

Cost competitive solar PV solution
Oerlikon Solar’s Micromorph process significantly boosts solar cell efficiency by adding a second microcrystalline absorber to the amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer.

This layer converts the energy of the red- and near-infrared spectrum, yielding efficiency and module power gains of up to 50 percent. The Micromorph technology enables module manufacturers to produce thin film silicon solar modules at competitive cost.

Dr. Tsai: “With Auria Solar’s TÜV Rheinland IEC certificate, we are well positioned technically and competitively to compete in the worldwide PV market.” In late 2008, Auria Solar expressed aggressive growth plans to expand its manufacturing capacity to 500 MW by 2012.

“Oerlikon Solar’s competitive time-to-market for the Auria Solar facility is another example of the world-class experience, support and knowledge Oerlikon Solar can offer to all of its customers,” adds Sargent. “We are dedicated to helping make solar PV an economically viable alternative energy option, and our ability to quickly ramp our high-performance Micromorph® end-to-end fab illustrates this commitment.”

Monday, May 11, 2009

Oerlikon Solar receives Micromorph master certificate

SNEC SHANGHAI, CHINA: Oerlikon Solar has passed all tests required for its Micromorph thin-film silicon solar PV modules to receive TÜV Rheinland's IEC certification.

The TÜV master certificate enables Oerlikon Solar's customers to accelerate their own IEC certification process, reducing time-to-market for certified high-performance modules from six months to less than six weeks. The certification is valid worldwide and is just one part of the established portfolio of solutions Oerlikon Solar offers its customers to enable rapid ramp-ups to mass production of thin-film solar PV modules.

"Oerlikon Solar enables its customers to significantly reduce their time to market for IEC certified modules, and guarantees leading module performance with the highest levels of reliability and cost-effective processes," said Jeannine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar.

Oerlikon successfully completed both IEC 61646 (Module Performance Test) and IEC 61730 (Module Safety Test). TÜV Rheinland, recognized globally for its module certification, put the modules through months of rigorous testing before issuing the IEC master certificate. Accelerated life tests for climate (changing of climates, coldness, warmth, humidity) and UV exposure were conducted in addition to mechanical impact tests (hail, wind suction, wind pressure, snow). All tests were passed successfully.

"We believe Oerlikon Solar is one of the premier equipment and module technology providers in the thin-film silicon solar PV market. They have proven their ability to scale a world-class technology and process to mass production, and passed all of our tests," states Willi Vaassen, Head of Renewable Energy division, TÜV Rheinland.

Leading efficiency and power output
Oerlikon's tandem-junction Micromorph process improves solar cell efficiency by up to 50 percent and increases overall module power, offering a key competitive advantage for solar PV manufacturers.

The Micromorph process significantly boosts solar cell efficiency by adding a second microcrystalline absorber to the amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer. This layer converts the energy of the red- and near-infrared spectrum, yielding efficiency gains of up to 50 percent.

The Micromorph technology also bolsters overall module power, enabling customers to produce high-performance thin-film silicon solar PV modules at competitive cost.

Unsurpassed time-to-market
In early 2008, Oerlikon Solar implemented the world's first Micromorph® production line at its customer Inventux in Berlin, Germany, and rapidly brought it to full production. "We were extremely impressed at how quickly and professionally Oerlikon Solar's expert team was able to ready our factory for mass production and further enhance module performance," said Volko Loewenstein, chairman of Inventux.

Oerlikon Solar is currently in the process of ramping four additional Micromorph® factories (Auria Solar, Chint, Heliosphera, Pramac), as well as two factories using its Amorph technology (Tianwei, Gadir). The combined 2009 ramp projects represent a production capacity of over 240 MWp globally bringing the cumulative shipped capacity of Oerlikon Solar to 600 MWp in the last two years.

Record performance and IEC certification
Just recently, Inventux announced record efficiencies achieved in real-time mass production. All panels where produced with Oerlikon Solar's proprietary Micromorph tandem junction technology. The 1.4 square-meter modules exceeded 9 percent stabilized efficiency during the course of high-volume production and reached over 120 watt power output.

On April 27, 2009, Inventux successfully passed all tests required for certification to IEC 61646 by TÜV Rheinland. This achievement reflects the first for a European based manufacturer of tandem thin film silicon modules.

Expanding customer and partner relationships
A growing number of global customers are ramping up Oerlikon Solar's leading thin-film solar PV technology. Recent sales to customers include Tianwei and Chint (Mainland China), Sun Well Solar and Auria Solar Co. Ltd. (Taiwan), Inventux, ersol Thin Film GmbH, SCHOTT Solar AG (Germany), Pramac SpA (Italy), Gadir Solar (Spain) and Heliosphera (Greece).

Oerlikon Solar has significant partnerships with leading industrial partners such as Tokyo Electron (sales and customer service) and Flextronics (manufacturing) to guarantee comprehensive customer service and support and rapid scalability throughout different geographies.