update EXCLUSIVE Page 10 Cross-over appeal
INtERNAtIONAL PHOtOVOLtAIC EQuIPMENt ASSOCIAtION
February 2012
INAUGURAL PV EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE AT SNEC 2012 SNEC and IPVEA are joining forces to organize the inaugural PV Equipment and Technology Conference during SNEC in Shanghai. The one-day event is for solar energy professionals involved in the Asian PV manufacturing supply chain. The event is being chaired by PV Tech. The conference will be an official part of the SNEC program and will be held on 17 May at the Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel (Himalayas Ball Room - 6th floor) located across the street from the Shanghai New Expo Centre. To speak at:
PV Equipment and Technology Conference during SNEC 3rd PV Production Forum at EUPVSEC in Frankfurt IPVEA members and PV industry professionals are invited to submit proposals to http://www.ipvea.org/index.php?id=431 Deadline for either is 31 March 2012. PROGRAMME UPDATE The 3rd PV Production Forum at EUPVSEC in Frankfurt will encompass energy storage within the Market Session and the afternoon will include presentations on OPV, thin film as well as silicon technologies.
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CLICK HERE TO VISIT SCHILLER AUTO WEBSITE & READ MORE ABOUT THE IPVEA: EUROPE CLICK HERE TO VISIT SCHILLER AUTO P.O. Box 1610, D-63406, Germany WEBSITEHanau, & READ MORE ABOUT THE IPVEA: USA P.O. Box 771507, Orlando, Florida 32877 Tel: +1 407 856 9100 IPVEA: ASIA Room 603, APEC Plaza, 49 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2623 2317 MANAGING DIRECTOR: Bryan Ekus ekus@ipvea.com Registration Number: Court Hanau VR 31714
SNEC ISSUE OF UPDATE At this year’s SNEC, 2000 copies of Update printed in English and Chinese will be distributed at the show.
IPVEA SNEC PV POWER EXPO 2012 PRESS CONFERENCE
Members are invited to submit product releases for inclusion in the issue by 31 March 2012, to news@ipvea.com
IPVEA is offering a new networking platform during SNEC PV Power EXPO 2012. See page 2 for more information.
Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA). IPVEA has used its best efforts to ensure that all the information in this publication is upto-date. Any warranty to the correctness and actuality can not be assumed. IPVEA reserves the right to make changes or additions to the information made available at any time without notice. © 2012 International Photovoltaic Equipment Association. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of IPVEA.
IPVEA NEWS Energy Storage Survey
Energy storage is important for two reasons:
The Association is asking all of its members to complete a short survey on Energy Storage, an eclectic industry in terms of technologies, applications, markets and degrees of maturity and market penetration of various devices.
Without a market of diverse, competitive and commercially viable energy storage technologies, long term growth prospects of a technology as potentially diverse as solar PV will be limited. Certain energy storage technologies, e.g. solid state devices present new market opportunities for PV equipment companies to supply. Markets for these types of technologies have high growth potential in the long term – 2016 onwards.
The survey will enable IPVEA to undertake activity that will provide its members with a clearer picture of relevant opportunities in relation to the PV equipment industry. The information submitted will be held in strict confidence and will not be used for any purpose, or shared with external parties without prior consent of individual members.
Rationale and background Many industries driving economic growth in the long term can be described as ‘cleantech’. Renewables engender a more advanced infrastructure to offset their intermittency and support decentralised electricity generation, creating demand for adequate energy storage solutions, intelligent distribution and consumption of electricity as well as embedding energy efficiency in both manufacturing and products.
Examples of cleantech industries include:
Renewables Energy storage Smart grid Energy efficiency (in products, appliances, vehicles, buildings) Advanced manufacturing, reducing the amount of energy, materials/other resources in production. Solid state electronics, encompassing silicon, thin film and nascent organic materials and processes, are enabling many cleantech industries, most of which have highgrowth potential long term but are relatively undeveloped or nascent today.
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Please complete the survey by 5 March 2012. Click or paste the following link into your web browser to start the survey: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/ WEB22ESPJG9JBG If you have any questions or concerns, please email sara@ipvea.com
The International PV Equipment Association (IPVEA) SNEC PV Power EXPO 2012 Press Conference International PV Equipment Association (IPVEA) is offering a new networking platform during SNEC PV Power EXPO 2012. IPVEA invites all Members to present their latest news to the Press during the SNEC 2012 in Shanghai. Members of the executive management of IPVEA member companies can present latest news and developments for cost-effective production of crystalline and thin film solar cells. The “IPVEA Press Conference” will take place on May 16, 2012 after lunch, and will be hosted at one of Shanghai’s best-known locations within easy reach of the SNEC PV Power EXPO 2012. The “IPVEA Press Conference” will feature company presentations followed by the opportunity to meet presenting executives for one-to-one discussions and
INSIDE IPVEA
with Board Members of International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA). The speakers will discuss technological developments and the industry’s current investment climate. The conference will conclude with a networking cocktail event. Arrangements for one-to-one meetings will be organized.
Please note that the January 2012 issue of Wiley’s academic journal Progress in Photovoltaics is free to read – all abstracts can be downloaded. They include the latest solar cell efficiency table, which can be downloaded at:
The “IPVEA Press Conference” will be organized with our partner MetaCom.
The cell efficiency table is updated twice a year, in the January and August issues of the journal.
Please respond to the invitation email once received.
We would be interested in hearing from members which articles or topics addressed by Progress in Photovoltaics are of interest and whether members would like to have access to the efficiency table updated in the August issue, to be able to decide whether to negotiate further access to the journal.
Programme updates for 3rd PV Production Forum 2012 Based on feedback from attendees to last year’s forum, we are making a few changes to the programme at this year’s PV Production Forum, taking place on 26 September. The Market Session, taking place in the morning, will include the topic of energy storage. The afternoon session will include presentations on organic PV, thin film as well as silicon technologies. As a reminder, the deadline for the Call for Speakers is 31 March, with submissions of summaries to be sent to: www.ipvea.org/index.php?id=431>
IPVEA partners with Wiley Wiley‘s Scientific, Technical, Medical, and Scholarly (STMS) business, also known as WileyBlackwell, has partnered with IPVEA to promote relevant books and texts on photovoltaics, energy storage and energy management technologies. Under the agreement all IPVEA members will be entitled to a 20% discount on Wiley books (scientific journals are not included). To promote relevant texts Wiley is developing a dedicated page on its website for IPVEA members to peruse and search. The page will be updated as books, titles, including latest editions and new journal issues are published. Details of the page link and discount code will be sent to IPVEA members shortly.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pip.2163/ abstract
Please email feedback to news@ipvea.com, with Progress in Photovoltaics as the subject.
IPVEA and Asian Cleantech Hub Pte (ACT) sign MOU IPVEA has signed an MOU agreement with ACT, a Singapore based “One-Stop” Service Center to develop, accelerate and deploy fast-growth cleantech companies to enter into or scale up in the Asian market. ACT will provide member companies with assistance and support in setting up regional HQ/offices, manufacturing, service and/or R&D facilities in Singapore or the region. In some cases investment associates of ACT may invest in these fast-growth cleantech companies who may have a need for working capital to expand their operations in Asia. Under the MOU both parties are committed to information sharing on international and Asian market opportunities, technology developments, new standards and other matters. IPVEA will communicate with its members to identify those that have interest in entering or scaling up in the Asian market and promote the services provided by ACT to its members.
IPVEA UPDATE | FEBRUARY 2012 | 3
MEMBER NEWS INNOLAS GmbH
SMIt OVENS B.V.
InnoLas laser technology wins orders for PV line upgrades
Smit Ovens forges partnership with Holst Centre and Solliance
At the end of 2011 InnoLas Systems GmbH, based in Krailling (Munich), received orders from two international manufacturers for production systems with a capacity of more than 1 GW.
In February Smit Ovens announced it is joining forces with Holst Centre and Solliance to develop new thermal solutions for organic photovoltaics (OPVs). In a five-year deal, Smit Ovens becomes a partner in Holst Centre’s Large area printing program and Solliance’s OPV program. Smit Ovens will supply Holst Centre and Solliance with drying furnaces for a roll-to-roll processing pilot line. The partners will work together to define and modify OPV furnace specifications based on experience gained over the course of the agreement. This will reduce Smit Ovens time to market for mature, advanced thermal solutions that meet OPV manufacturers’ needs.
InnoLas ILS-TT laser system for LDSE Selective Emitter Source: InnoLas
The systems use InnoLas’ innovative Laser Doped Selective Emitter (LDSE) technology. This additional process step uses the laser to melt dopants into the silicon underneath the later-added metal contacts. Using this process, the efficiency of mono-silicon and poly-silicon cells can be increased by up to 0.5 percentage points. InnoLas systems achieve a very high throughput for this process step, so that one line can produce up to 100 MW cell power. InnoLas Systems GmbH produces laser systems for micro material processing, particularly in the photovoltaic industry, for semiconductors, electronics and precision engineering. InnoLas Systems uses innovations in laser technology to produce highly-efficient and reliable processing systems, for improved quality and productivity in industrial production. www.innolas.com
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Under the deal, Smit Ovens will supply multiple furnaces for drying the various layers of material from which OPVs are built. This will allow Holst Centre to expand its pilot line to a multilayer set-up that more closely mimics a real production environment. In particular, this deal will allow the partners to investigate key challenges in OPV manufacturing. These include achieving the strict cleanliness and layer uniformity standards required for cost-effective, high-yield production. In addition, the furnaces will support inert gas environments and feature a modular architecture that allows for easy scaling to higher volumes, streamlining the future transition to full-scale production. www.smitovens.nl
MEMBER NEWS
MEYER BuRGER
SINGuLuS tECHNOLOGIES
Meyer Burger appoints Dr Patrick Hofer-Noser as Head of Renewable Energy Systems
Singulus Technologies wins new order for thin film solar
Meyer Burger has recently appointed Dr Patrick HoferNoser as Head of Renewable Energy Systems, a newly created position.
Kahl am Main-headquartered Singulus Technologies has received an order from an international module producer for a processing machine for the production of CIGS/CIS thin film solar cells.
As of 1 April 2012, reporting directly to the CEO of Meyer Burger Group. As of 1 April 2012, Dr Hofer-Noser will step down from the Executive Board and assume his new role as Head of Renewable Energy Systems within the extended management team of Meyer Burger Technology Ltd.
Dr Patrick Hofer-Noser, Head of Renewable Energy Systems, Meyer Burger Ltd Source: Meyer Burger
Dr Hofer-Noser has been CTO and member of the Executive Board since 2010 and President of Cleantech Switzerland since 2011. In his new role, Dr. Hofer-Noser, a recognised technology expert with an extensive network in the energy and cleantech sectors, including energy storage, will focus on important future national and international energy resource developments and the integration of leading products from the Meyer Burger Group.
In his mandate as President of Cleantech Switzerland, Dr Hofer-Noser will also continue his efforts on behalf of small and medium enterprises for the Swiss Cleantech export platform. The role of CTO is to act as a cooperative technical interface between the Executive Board and the individual group companies. In the future, Sylvère Leu, CIO and member of the Executive Board since 2010, will hold the additional role as CTO in a double mandate.
The coating plant will be used for the set-up of pilot production of CIGS/CIS modules. After commissioning a further expansion of the module production is intended. Hence, the Singulus system meets the current demand in the photovoltaics industry for development and pilot machines to increase the efficiency of solar cells and to simultaneously reduce production costs. Investment in CIGS production is increasing as this form of thin film PV technology is promising with respect to efficiency and cost reductions. The new order is an additional important step for Singulus to establish itself as a machine supplier and development partner in the growing thin film solar market. www.singulus.de
MANZ Manz transfers PV equipment for FPD manufacture Reutlingen-based Manz, a leading provider of production systems for the PV and flat panel display (FPD) sectors, has won a new order totalling €33 million. The order is for the delivery of equipment for the production of components for FPD applications. The equipment was formerly developed for the c-Si PV segment and the sale marks a successful transfer to FPD applications without major technological changes. www.manz.com
www.meyerburger.com
IPVEA UPDATE | FEBRUARY 2012 | 5
MEMBER NEWS IPVEA MEMBER COMPANIES 3S Modultec 3S Photovoltaics 3-S Swiss Solar Systems AG ABB Automation GmbH AEG Power Solutions GmbH AIS Automation Dresden GmbH AMB Apparate + Maschinenbau GmbH Applied Materials ASYS Automatisierungssysteme GmbH Bosch Rexroth Mechatronics GmbH BTU International, Inc. Buerkle GmbH Ch2M Hill Day4 Eco-tec Decker Anlagenbau GmbH Dek Solar GmbH Despatch Industries Diamond Materials Tech, Inc Dr. Schenk GmbH Industriemesstechnik Dr. Schwab Inspection Technology GmbH E+H Metrology GmbH Ferrotec GmbH GfE Metalle und Materialien GmbH Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH Heateflex Corporation Hennecke Systems GmbH Hermann Otto GmbH ICOS Vision Systems INA Lineartechnik Innolas GmbH INTEVAC ISRA VISION AG Jonas & Redmann Photovoltaic’s Production Solutions GmbH Kitec microelectronic technologie GmbH KLA-Tencor Komax Solar AG Kuka Systems Corporation North America Kuka Systems GmbH LayTec GmbH Leybold Optics GmbH Linde AG Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG LOTUS Systems GmbH Lpkf SolarQuipment GmbH
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LSW Maschinenfabrik GmbH M+W Germany GmbH Manz AG Meier Solar Solutions GmbH Meyer Burger Services / Meyer Burger AG Meyer Burger AG – Swiss Slicing Systems Meyer Burger Automation GmbH Meyer Burger Robotics / Meyer Burger Wafertec Newport Spectra - Physics GmbH OC Oerlikon Management AG, Pfaffikon Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum GmbH Oerlikon Solar / Oerlikon Systems Ortner c.l.s. GmbH OTB Solar B.V. Pall GmbH PASAN SA PLANSEE High Performance Materials Reis GmbH & Co. KG Maschinenfabrik RENA GmbH RICMAR Technology GmbH Robert Burkle GmbH Rofin Baasel Lasertech GmbH & Co. KG Roth & Rau – Ortner GmbH / Roth & Rau AG Roth & Rau Italy S.r.l. Schaeffler Technologies GmbH SCHILLER AUTOMATION GmbH & Co. KG Schmid GmbH + Co., Gebr. SEMILAB Semiconductor Physics Laboratory, Co., Ltd. SENTECH Instruments GmbH Sierra Therm Production Furnaces Sika AG SINGULUS STANGL SOLAR GmbH SLS Solar Line Saxony GmbH Smit Ovens B.V. Soleras Ltd Somont GmbH STEIN Automation GmbH & Co. KG SYNOVA S.A. Targray Technology International Inc. Team Technik Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH Tecnofimes S.r.l Tempress Systems B.V. TRUMPF Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH + Co. KG Veeco Instruments GmbH VITRONIC Dr.-Ing. Stein Bildverarbeitungssysteme GmbH VON ARDENNE Anlagentechnik GmbH
KEY EVENTS 27-28 February 2012 Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
13-14 March 2012 CCD.Süd Messe Düsseldorf, Germany
INVERtER & PV SYStEM tECHNOLOGY FORuM
ENERGY StORAGE - INtERNAtIONAL SuMMIt FOR tHE StORAGE OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES
At the Inverter and PV System Technology Forum in San Francisco, 27-28 February, the interaction of a PV system‘s electrical components will be the main focus. The conference, hosted in Germany and in the US, takes a close look at national market characteristics: The US emphasizes on-grid integration of large-scale installations and its distinct certification requirements. The program will help advance BoS and inverter performance on a broader level and offers new insights on system cost development. Visit: http://www.solarpraxis.de/en/conferences/inverterand-pv-system-technologyusa-2012/program/ IPVEA MEMBER BENEFITS
IPVEA, a partner of this event, can offer 10% additional discount to its network. Use the discount code pvst20spx when registering: http://www.regonline.com/Register/ Checkin.aspx?EventID=1040713
5-6 April 2012 Bristol Hotel, Odessa, Ukraine
CISOLAR-2012 Conference on Solar Energy in Eastern Europe and the CIS – CISOLAR 2012 – is a key event for players in the solar energy industry whose activity includes projects in emerging markets in Eastern Europe and the CIS. CISOLAR continues the success of the forum REF-2011 which, for the last several years, has been the leading business forum in the field of renewable energy in the CIS.
The role that energy storage plays in future energy supplies is the topic of ‘Energy Storage – International Summit for the Storage of Renewable Energies (organised by Messe Düsseldorf in cooperation with Solarpraxis AG). The inaugural conference, with accompanying technical exhibition, will focus on practical feasibility. Representatives from research, industry, politics and energy supply will converge to shed light on commercially viable applications and innovative concepts for energy storage as well as on their potential and affordability. Chairman of the Programme Committee is Prof. Dr. Eicke R. Weber, Spokesman of the Fraunhofer Energy Alliance and Head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy systems in Freiburg. Session themes include: Overall Context of Energy Management and the Role of Storage Technologies for future Energy Supply Electrochemical Storage (Batteries) Thermal Storage Renewable Hydrogen and Methane - Power-to-Gas Large scale Hydro Storage and European Grid Integration On-Grid electrical Energy Storage - Systems Design Finally, there will be a discussion involving all session leaders about the status quo of the technology, applications and innovations and about the future prospects for energy storage. The conference will be in English with simultaneous translation into German.
IPVEA MEMBER BENEFITS
IPVEA MEMBER BENEFITS
IPVEA members are entitled to a 10% discount to the event and also to 4th International Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Forum REF, 16-17 October 2012 in Kyiv, Ukraine. http://rencentre.com/en/cisolar#
Special rate for IPVEA members to attend the conference early bird fee €795 (instead of standard application fee of €945 / late bird fee of €1,095)
8 | IPVEA UPDATE | FEBRUARY 2012
www.energy-storage-online.de/
EVENTS
21-23 March 2012 San Jose, CA, USA
16-18 May 2012 Shanghai New International Expo Center, China
SOLAR MANuFACtuRING AND RELIABILItY CONFERENCE
SNEC PV POWER EXPO 2012 6tH INtERNAtIONAL SOLAR INDuStRY AND PHOtOVOLtAIC EXHIBItION & CONFERENCE
The program will include issues and matters concerning reliability testing of PV modules. The event will cover reliability programs being done in the industry, including the work of the PV QA Forum Task Force groups submitting their recommendations to the various IEC and other international standards groups. In the coming weeks IPVEA will provide information on benefi ts that its participation in this event affords members.
Following the success of five previous SNEC events, Shanghai New Energy Industry Association (SNEIA) plans to hold the 6th (2012) International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition, SNEC (2012) from May 16-18 at Shanghai New International Expo Center. www.snec.org.cn
www.smta.org/solar/tech.cfm
25-28 September 2012 Frankfurt, Germany
19-20 April 2012 Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre (MMCC), Gandhinagar, Gujarat
27tH EuROPEAN PHOtOVOLtAIC SOLAR ENERGY CONFERENCE AND EXHIBItION
INDIAN SOLAR INVEStMENt & tECHNOLOGY 2012 SuMMIt & EXHIBItION The Indian Solar Investment & Technology Summit 2012 (ISIT 2012) will bring together senior government officials, with the global solar industry to discuss the latest industrial policies, India’s solar projects progress and advanced technology solutions and equipment selection. Conference themes: Investment - The significance of solar in India Technology & Manufacturing - Potential for PV R&D & technological development in India Development - Identifying areas for project deployment in India www.solarsummitindia.com/
EU PVSEC, the leading conference and exhibition in the field of photovoltaics comprises more than 1,500 presentations in plenary, oral and visual sessions. In addition, the 27th EU PVSEC offers; Parallel events, such as: 9th European PV Industry Summit, jointly organised with EPIA, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association 3rd PV Production Forum 2012, jointly organised with IPVEA, the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association EU PVSEC Business Forum 2012, focusing questions for the global PV industries Subjects include: Materials studies, new concepts & ultra-high efficiency Wafer-based silicon solar cells & materials technology Thin film solar cells (including OPV) Components for PV systems PV systems PV – a major electricity source IPVEA MEMBER BENEFITS 10% discount on raw booth space for IPVEA members. www.photovoltaic-conference.com
IPVEA UPDATE | FEBRUARY 2012 | 9
EXCLUSIVE by Sara Ver-Bruggen
Cross-over appeal PV and semiconductor equipment companies are turning their attention to opportunities afforded by organic solar cells.
Heliatek’s ultrathin, organic solar panels offer potential to transform the building envelope into an efficient solar energy generator Source: Heliatek GmbH / RECKLI GmbH
Not so long ago organic photovoltaics (OPV), part of the wider organic and printed electronics field, were viewed as a long-term prospect with lifetimes and efficiencies cited as critical challenges. Making the transition from lab-to-fab is Dresden-based Heliatek. In February Heliatek announced a partnership with concrete façade supplier Reckli to supply its OPV modules for building integrated PV (BIPV) applications. First products should be ready for market within two years. OPVs have several advantages. Cost reduction in manufacturing can be achieved by processing cells over cheaper large area substrates – typically rolls of plastic – using less energy and materials in production.
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Heliatek claims its process requires around 4 g of source material for 1 sq m of tandem OPV cell. In addition OPVs have many aesthetic features and other characteristics that will enable solar generation to penetrate new applications: transparent cells and modules are possible as well as production of cells in different colours, and different module shapes and formats that are lightweight and flexible. Heliatek’s OPVs weigh 0.5
kg per sq m. Last year the company announced a record champion cell with a power conversion efficiency of 9.8%. Module efficiencies of its OPV cells are in excess of 7%. Among other fledgling OPV developers Heliatek is unique in commercialising roll-to-roll (R2R) production of based on small molecule, vacuum processable organic semiconductors, based on research within Technical University Dresden’s
FEATURE
”BIPV application development will take up to two years with commercialisation occurring in 2014-2015.” Heliatek’s CEO Thibaud Le Séguillon (Source: Heliatek)
Institute of Photophysics (IAPP). Other developers, such as Eight19, Solarmer and Konarka, are pursuing printing or coating of solution processable printable polymer semiconductor materials, or dye solar cells (DSC) in the case of Solarprint, Dyesol and Tata Steel, Oxford Photovoltaics and others. Heliatek’s line, recently complete with a final piece of equipment, includes tools for scribing and OPV encapsulation in addition to the vacuum processing of its OPV cells on flexible plastic substrates. The firm’s fab includes equipment from FHR Anlagenbau, a subsidiary of Centrotherm Photovoltaics, and inspection tools from Dr Schenk. “March and April will be spent tuning up the line,” says Helitek’s CEO Thibaud Le Séguillon, with production of first modules beginning in June. These will be supplied as prototypes to potential customers within the glass and building materials industries that will use the OPV laminates to develop building integrated PV (BIPV) applications. Automotive integrated PV (AIPV) applications will be developed, similarly. “BIPV application development will take up to two years,” says Le Séguillon, so commercialisation will occur in 20142015, with AIPV for 2015-2018. Heliatek will also launched a €50 million funding round to support the expansion of its manufacturing lines with the target of 50 MW annual output capacity. This will coincide with commercialisation of Heliatek’s
OPV film in BIPV applications. These will be for trial and then reference installations with commercial partners and architects. Clusters Several PV equipment companies, many located in Silicon Saxony, are engaged in organic electronic initiatives or supplying tools. They include Von Ardenne and Leybold Optics. Von Ardenne has supplied vacuum deposition system for use in the research of R2R production of organic LEDs (OLED) and OPVs on flexible substrates at Center of Organic Materials and Electronic Devices, Dresden (COMEDD), within Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS). Inspection equipment is supplied by Isra Vision and Spanntec. The portfolio of Applied Ventures, the VC arm of Applied Materials, includes stakes in several suppliers of organic and printed electronics firms such as US-based Plextronics, which supplies materials for OPVs and OLEDs, and Tera-Barrier Films, a Singaporean spinout commercialising a nanomaterial-based barrier film for CIGS and OPVs in the near term and OLED lighting and displays in the longer term. Earlier in February Smit Ovens, in the Netherlands, joined the Solliance OPV R&D initiative. In a five-year deal, Smit Ovens will be a partner in Holst Centre’s large area printing programme and Solliance’s OPV programme, supplying drying furnaces for an R2R OPV pilot line.
The partners will work together to define and modify OPV furnace specifications based on experience gained over the course of the agreement. This will reduce Smit Ovens’ time to market for mature, advanced thermal tools required for OPV manufacturing. Solliance is establishing state-of-theart shared research facilities, including pilot production, to nurture a thin film PV and OPV cluster in the EindhovenLeuven-Aachen (ELAT) region. The Dutch province of Northern Brabant is investing €28.2 million in the multidisciplinary initiative. Its research partners are ECN, TNO, Holst Centre, Technical University of Eindhoven and Imec. Solliance’s OPV programme is also focused on improving substrates, development of ultrathin and light cells, lifetimes for various commercial applications, and indium-tin oxide (ITO) reduction in OPV production. More industrial companies are expected to join as the initiative progresses. Eindhoven-based OTB Group, another industrial partner of Solliance, is developing a versatile inkjet printing platform for product development, pilot through to mass production, for a range of applications. These include different solar technologies, organic and printed electronics, medical device and security printing. To accelerate development of inkjet printing applications, OTB’s equipment is installed at parent company Roth & Rau’s technology development centre. As OPV technology emerges from the multidisciplinary R&D field of organic and printed electronics, into piloting and early commercialisation phase more opportunities for equipment suppliers should start to emerge.
IPVEA UPDATE | FEBRUARY 2012 | 11
IPVEA NEWS
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IPVEA Board of Directors
BENEFItS INCLuDE: • Savings of up to €3840 on raw booth costs at EU PVSEC and SNEC (based on 64 sq m booth sizes), which is more than the cost of IPVEA membership itself • 12 issues of IPVEA’s Update newsletter, featuring industry news, exclusive editorials and analysis on PV markets and technology trends
Elke Hoffmann, vice treasurer (Jonas & Redmann) Ortrun Aßländer, secretary (Day4 ecoTec) Steffen Günther, treasurer (Reis Robotics) Ludgar Wahlers, board member (ISRA Vision Solar) Patrick Binkowska, vice president (Leybold Optics) Carsten Busch, board member (ABB Automation) Stefan Schiller, vice president (Schiller Automation) Sven E. Jarby, president (Oerlikon) Bryan Ekus, managing director (not pictured)
update
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NEXT ISSUE
IPVEA's next Update issue will be published in March, featuring industry news, key event updates and exclusive articles. To contribute news releases, editorial ideas or comments please email news@ipvea.com If you are interested in advertising opportunities please email ellen.parker@ipvea.com To subscribe to update, visit www.ipvea.org and click on the subscribe link or click here
12 | IPVEA UPDATE | FEBRUARY 2012
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