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T H E w O R L D w I D E V O I C E F O R T H E P V E Q U I P M E n T M A n U FA C T U R I n G I n D U S T R Y
Issue 12 | October 2011 INDUSTRY NEWS
Review: EU PVSEC 2011, Hamburg, 5-9 September ‘We’ll be back next year. This is a critical global event in the annual PV calendar.’ This was the resounding feedback from IPVEA members and other exhibitors at this year’s EU PVSEC, held in Hamburg, in September, where over 999 international exhibitors along the PV value chain presented products and services. The industry is now bracing itself for a choppier year ahead. Those who attended the PV Production Forum (see review on page 9), co-organized by IPVEA and EU PVSEC, were well briefed on the outlook for the next 12 months. Equipment orders will level off but this is a temporary period of adjustment. A fact that the PV industry accepts more readily, compared with other renewable and alternative energy sectors, is that subsidies are not a given and should not be relied upon long-term. This acceptance will enable the PV industry to focus on continuing to achieve economies of scale, enhance efficiencies of modules, push toward longer lifetimes, develop further standards and engage more closely with utilities to establish opportunities for large-scale PV deployment, all of which will contribute to ensuring that PV reaches grid parity sooner. At the EU PVSEC conference sessions new approaches to PV architecture were presented. PV is increasingly being seen as an effective way to fight the current recession, according to Dr Arnulf JägerWaldau, Technical Programme Chairman, European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre, who concluded: ‘so far each PV forecast has underestimated the growth of PV worldwide and future PV scenarios will have to be continuously readjusted to reflect the great advances of the sector.’
Image: Bryan Ekus, IPVEA MD, meeting Dominique Ristori, JRC Director General, European Commission
Some 4,467 delegates from around the world attended 1,500 scientific and technical presentations, covering the entire scope of PV technologies at the EU PVSEC conference. All told attendance for the conference and exhibition combined exceed 40,000 from over 100 countries.
In this issue EU PVSEC REVIEW Show reviews PV PV Production Forum market session review IPVEA iPad competition NEW MEMBERS IPVEA welcomes Intevac Inc. & Sika AG EVENTS PV Power Plants – USA Joint Forces for Solar Singapore Int. Energy Week SNEC 2012, China Solar Power International EU PVSEC 2012 INSIDE IPVEA IPVEA Board of Directors elections SEND NEWS review TO IPVEA Board meeting news@ipvea.com SEND NEWS TO news@ipvea.com
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ABOUT ITS BOARD AND MEMBER
Managing Director: Bryan Ekus. ekus@ipvea.com Registration Number: Court Hanau VR 31714
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Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
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IPVEA PROMOTION
IPVEA booth at EU PVSEC and iPad competition The IPVEA booth’s situation at EU PVSEC, combined with the demonstration of the PV Matrix, and, not forgetting the free iPad draw, succeeded in attracting over 1000 visitors during the exhibition. Many wanted to learn about IPVEA, its activities, membership and discuss opportunities for engaging with the association through cooperative partnerships. More information about these will be communicated in the coming months. iPad competition winners were picked out from the entry forms over three of the show days. They include Susan Brodie, from Hudson Energy Solar Corporation in the US. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our four sponsors – Meyer Burger, Oerlikon, Isra Vision Solar and Leybold Optics – for supporting the iPad competition.
2 | IPVEA UPDATE | SEPTEMBER 2011
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IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 3 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
Your Partner For Advanced Solar Solutions
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update INSIDE IPVEA
Board election results and board meeting review IPVEA would like to welcome its two newest members to its board of directors, Elke Hoffmann and Ortrun Aßländer, who were voted in during the most recent members meeting held on 7 September during EU PVSEC.
BOARD MEETING At the board meeting, which had a good turn-out, comments and feedback about the PV Matrix were positive concerning functionality, and ensuring compatibility with Internet Explorer is being addressed. The focus now is on promoting the platform and pursuing further opportunities to raise its profile further within the wider PV industry. A key opportunity here is SNEC 2012. IPVEA is also initiating a cross promotional partnership concerning the association as well as the PV Matrix with the Investment Promotion Bureau of Suzhou Wuzhong Economic Development Zone (SWEDZ), near Shanghai, which is looking to attract PV equipment manufacturers to the region as part of wider plans to establish Suzhou Wuzhong as a PV industrial base in China. In order to support IPVEA members, especially smaller sized companies, in their marketing & communications activities, board member Carsten Busch suggested organising press briefings at key events and the response by members has been positive, with many interested to learn more about how they can be included.
We also take this opportunity to inform our members that Sven E. Jarby, Steffen Günther and Stefan Schiller are each embarking on their second (three year) term on the board of directors. The IPVEA Board of Directors, October 2011, as above from left to right: Elke Hoffmann, vice treasurer (Jonas & Redmann) Patrick Binkowska, vice president (Leybold Optics) Ortrun Aßländer, secretary (Day4 ecoTec) Carsten Busch, board member (ABB Automation) Steffen Günther, treasurer (Reis Robotics) Stefan Schiller, vice president (Schiller Automation) Ludgar Wahlers, board member (ISRA Vision Solar) Sven E. Jarby, president (Oerlikon)
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The board meeting finished with IPVEA’s MD Bryan Ekus presenting the findings of IPVEA’s 2012 Event Survey. A summary of key findings follows EU PVSEC continues to be regarded as the most important of the European PV events, according to 97% of respondents, followed by Intersolar at 70% 76% of respondents agree that IPVEA should support only one European event in 2012 SNEC emerged as the most important of the Asian PV events 100% of respondents want IPVEA to support SNEC 2012 and a large majority (72%) of respondents would like IPVEA to organize a technical conference with SNEC’s organizers Intersolar and Solar Power International break even as the If you missed most important US events attending the meeting but would like 39% of respondents said their to obtain a full copy of company exhibits at events the survey, please email in India sara@ipvea.com
IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 5 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
www.oerlikon.com
update INSIDE IPVEA INSIDE IPVEA
IPVEA Board of Directors President Sven E. Jarby (Oerlikon) Secretary Ortrun Aßländer (Day4 ecoTec) Treasurer Steffen Guenther (Reis Robotics) Vice Treasurer Elke Hoffmann (Jonas & Redmann) Vice President Stefan Schiller (Schiller Automation) Vice President Patrick Binkowska (Leybold Optics) Board Member Carsten Busch (ABB Automation) Board Member Ludgar Wahlers (ISRA Vision Solar) Managing Director Bryan Ekus
IPVEA Supervisory Board Members IPVEA’s Articles of Association requires the organisation to have a separate supervisory board to oversee the Executive Board. The group meets once or twice a year typically during the time of a trade show. Current supervisory board members are: Dan Murray Targray Technology International Jan-Paul van Maaren BTU International Frank Tinnefeld Gebr. Schmid GmbH + Co Peter Kiemstedt KUKA Systems GmbH Helmut Schilling Singulus/Stangl Solar Antonio Schmidt Manz Automation Werner Bucholtz Meyer Burger Technology Ltd
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IPVEA Welcomes New Members IPVEA currently has many of the PV industry’s leading companies as members. All benefit from the exchange of ideas, as well as ways to develop business opportunities and strategic partnerships. We would like to welcome two more companies to the association.
Intevac are part of the PV Matrix PVMATRIX
Intevac Inc, founded in 1991, is a leading provider of cost-effective, advanced equipment and products to the hard disk drive, solar, semiconductor and photonics industries. Intevac has two businesses, Process Equipment and Photonics. Having shipped more than 220 media manufacturing systems to customers in the hard disk drive industry Intevac has expanded into the solar and semiconductor industries. Lean design principles enables Intevac to provide its customers with extremely efficient equipment solutions which meet the requirements of evolving technology. Intevac is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with offices across the US and Asia and manufacturing facilities in California, Wyoming and Singapore. www.intevac.com
Sika are part of the PV Matrix PVMATRIX
Sika AG, headquartered in Switzerland, is a global specialty chemicals company supplying many industries, from building & construction to transportation and alternative energies. Sika provides state-of-the-art technical solutions for sealing and bonding that assists solar system manufacturers and sub-suppliers in the industry to meet the high demand of quality requirements and supply security worldwide. Next to �high quality products Sika also offers comprehensive project support with construction consultancy, functional testing, application technology advice and applicator training. www.sika.com
IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 7 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
PV PRODUCTION FORUM
PV PRODUCTIOn FORUM MARkET SESSIOn REVIEw The second PV Forum, an exclusive seminar co-organized by International PV Equipment Association (IPVEA) and EU PVSEC, took place in during this year’s show on 6 September. The one-day event drew 220 delegates, with the morning session focusing on market issues, before breaking off into silicon and thin-film streams in the afternoon. Pricing – Retail Prices $/Wp
VLSIresearch
Copyright © 2011 VLSI Research Inc. All rights reserved.
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PV Production Forum, Hamburg, September 2011
Solar PV Panel Price Performance
The bankruptcy of Solyndra had been discussed in conference rooms and exhibition halls throughout EU PVSEC and PV Production Forum’s presenters and panellists wasted no time in putting the US firm’s demise in context. VLSI Research’s John West pointed out, during his presentation, that while exits and bankruptcies are a consequence of any growing and consolidating industry, having a unique differentiating technology – such as Solyndra’s cylindrical thin film CIGS modules – is not enough in the PV market’s current climate. Substantial investment in silicon supply and in production of crystalline silicon cells, by China mainly, has pushed down the retail price of modules so significantly that they are as low as $2.90 dollars per watt and falling. Solyndra, which borrowed extensively to ready its technology for market, simply could not compete.
‘Thin-film has its work cut out. Lots of companies in the thin-film area could run into trouble because the demand for crystal silicon is still so high,’ said West. Crystalline silicon cell
production accounted for 86% of the PV equipment market by cell technology in 2010, according to VLSI Research.
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IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 9 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
PV PRODUCTION FORUM
Outlook and PV equipment market dynamics For equipment suppliers the outlook for the short-term will see a decline in demand, before starting to recover again towards the end of 2012. The utilisation rates of the major cell manufacturers are still high, according to West. ‘The
top 15-20 of cell makers are running at 80% capacity. Inventories have been rising but are starting to fall again and this means that customers will start to order equipment again.’ West’s outlook for 2012 suggested that the PV market will be down by only 5% but long term the growth rate will be 5% to 10%.
PV Equipment Suppliers by Region of Company HQ 2006 - $2.1Bn North America 9%
Other 4% North America 25%
Europe 42%
Japan 18% Europe 57%
Korea 1%
PV Equipment Suppliers by Region of Company HQ
VLSIresearch
Korea 2%
Copyright © 2011 VLSI Research Inc. All rights reserved.
put a lot of effort into developing technologies that can increase and enhance efficiency levels. These can bring existing production lines back to some degree of profitability before needing replacing,’ said Panellist Dieter Manz, the company’s CEO.
Japan 10%
China 10%
Manz Automation is focusing on both opportunities in thin film – having achieved 14% efficiency CIGS cells on production equipment – and also the crystalline silicon PV industry’s push towards high efficiency modules. ‘We
2010 - $10.3Bn
Other 5%
Not only are the tier one PV producers investing in ramping up capacity to achieve economies of scale, many manufacturers are focused on squeezing higher efficiencies out crystalline silicon cells and modules. Suntech is now producing its high efficiency Pluto cells based on its PERL selective emitter technology, originating from research by University of New South Wales. DuPont’s acquisition of Innovalight is a canny move enabling the PV materials supplier to provide a cost-effective selective emitter technology, based on silicon ink, for enhancing crystalline silicon cell efficiencies.
PV Production Forum, Hamburg, September 2011
China 17%
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West also highlighted the change in dynamics of the PV equipment market since 2006, showing how the market has become more balanced globally. In 2006, at 57%, Europe claimed the largest share of equipment suppliers. In 2010, Europe’s share was 42%, still the largest, followed next by the US with 25%, which grew from 9% in 2006. In Asia, Japan’s share has fallen to 10% since 2006, while China’s has grown from 10% in 2006 to 17% in 2010. ‘We don’t see China exceeding 20% of the equipment supply market, the threat is from countries such as South Korea’, suggested West.
For equipment suppliers a lull in demand reveals other opportunities. Many cell and module manufacturers will take the time during quieter periods to review equipment lines and make upgrades, providing business for equipment suppliers. Recently, for example, Meyer Burger subsidiary 3S Modultec, which supplies lamination systems for PVs, secured an order from ZNShine Solar for new lamination lines to replace existing laminators currently in use ZNShine’s Chinese plant.
10 | IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
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Thin film thinking While the PV industry may be all about crystalline silicon technology today, much of the morning session’s debate and discussion centred on thin film. Even panellist Stuart Wenham, Suntech’s CTO, while explaining Suntech’s decision to only focus on crystalline silicon, acknowledged thin film’s longer term promise. ‘Crystalline silicon has dropped so much in cost it has stopped thin film being competitive. Efficiencies need to be much higher for thin film – around 15% for it to properly compete. Suntech’s is back in the lab, but it still has future potential.’ According to panellist Peter Tinner, Oerlikon Solar’s Head of Sales and Marketing, ‘the industry has reached overcapacity. However, we believe strongly in thin film – the crystalline silicon costs are starting to level out now. Thin film silicon has potential to be much lower to produce.’ Indeed, China is emerging as playing a key role in the ramp up of thin film silicon capacity in the coming years. Dieter Manz said the big potential of thin film is the amount of scope for scaling up, such as bigger substrate sizes and so on. ‘This is what has occurred in the displays industry. There is lots of room for cost reduction in CIGS thin film.’
Panellist Dr Peter Fath, CTO of Centrotherm Photovoltaics, observed: ‘Thin film has its place in the market, between 15-20%, for things like BIPV. If I look at thin film technology in terms of a winner in future, efficiencies need to be higher. In terms of disruptive technologies the market for fancy stuff, such as the solyndra-type product, is dead.’
‘The industry is no longer about technology it’s about markets and financing,’ stated panellist Dr Charlie Gay, President of Applied Solar, adding, ‘innovation
will be in the development of financing models as the mechanism for scaling development.’ Despite the need to brace itself for the months ahead, a bullish outlook for the PV industry emerged by the end of the market session. As West pointed out the real explosion in solar PV will occur once prices fall well below grid parity and as Solyndra has shown, it’s surviving the time leading up that matters most.
It was agreed that for thin film to be truly competitive with crystalline silicon the focus is on improving efficiencies as well as scaling up capacity.
PV Production Forum 2011, produced by IPVEA in partnership with EU PVSEC, included the following in panel discussions: Dr Stuart Wenham, CTO, Suntech Dr Huang Qiang, VP of Technology, Director of State key Lab of PV Science and Technology, China, Trina Solar Dieter Manz, CEO, Manz Automation Peter Tinner, Head of Sales & Marketing, Oerlikon Solar Dr Peter Fath, CTO, Centrotherm Photovoltaics Dr Charlie Gay, President, Applied Solar Peter Pauli, CEO, Meyer Burger
The 3rd PV Production Forum, coorganized by IPVEA and EU PVSEC is planned for next year’s show, taking place in Frankfurt. nearer the time, IPVEA will communicate the programme outline and opportunities for presenting and panels to its members.
BACK FOR 2012
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Details of the programme as well as presentations including the market outlook given by John West at VLSI Research can be found on IPVEA’s website at the following link:
ipvea.org/index.php?id=349
IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 11 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
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EU PVSEC Images from the event
The Fifth Annual SNEC 5th International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition (SNEC 2011 PV POWER EXPO), came to a successful end on February 24, 2011, once again breaking the attendance record of PV exhibitions previously held in Asia. The Shanghai event was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China and jointly organised by 15 international associations and organisations, including IPVEA. Photovoltaic companies from 90 countries were presented, including Germany, UK, France, USA, Canada, Japan, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Singapore, South Korea, Russia, India and Taiwan. The convention served 1,838 exhibitors covering 150,000 square meters of exhibition space, and was attended by more than 180,000 visitors. As the economic center of China, the world’s largest developing country, as well as a metropolis that has witnessed advanced technologies and market forces, Shanghai has naturally become a major business hub for PV-related aggregation, communication and expansion. At SNEC 2011, industrial experts, scholars and entrepreneurs gathered here to discuss the evolving solar and PV market, industry development strategies, policy directions, and cutting-edge technologies. Upon the success of the first five SNEC events, Shanghai New Energy Industry Association (SNEIA) has already scheduled next year’s event, SNEC 6th (2012) International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition [SNEC (2012) PV POWER EXPO] from May 7 to 9, 2012 at Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC), China.
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IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 13 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
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12th Forum Solarpraxis 17 & 18 nov 2011, Maritim proArte Hotel, Berlin PV Power Plants – USA 2011 • 30 nov – 1 Dec 2011 Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel, Phoenix, Arizona • Markets • Political framework • Infrastructure • Financing • Technology IPVEA members will receive a 10% discount on the event’s admission fee. In its third year, the PV Power Plants conference will shed light on all relevant aspects of utility-scale solar development. Experts from around the globe will provide insight into the current market and its future developments. In addition the event’s extensive complementary program includes two facility tours (Suntech and Power-One) and a workshop on ‘Dos and Don’ts in project development’. For more information: http://www.solarpraxis.de/en/conferences/pvpower-plants-usa-2011/general-information/
From October 31 to 4 november 2011 is the Singapore International Energy Week. During the week, from 1-4 november SnEC’s organiser is putting on PV ASIA PACIFIC. The four-day show will cover the gamut of the PV industry value chain, bringing together industry and government to discuss trends, strategies and policy directions in the solar and PV market. SIEw will kick off with the Establishment Ceremony of Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association APVIA www.apvia.org. Details about Singapore International Energy week, including PV ASIA PACIFIC can be found at www.siew.sg
Following the successes of five previous events, Shanghai new Energy Industry Association (SnEIA) plans to hold SnEC 6th International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition (SnEC PV POwER EXPO) from May 16 to 18, 2012 at Shanghai new International Expo Center (SnIEC), in China. As the economic centre of China, the world’s largest developing country, the metropolis of Shanghai is best placed to become the central business hub for PV-related aggregation, communication and expansion in China and Asia and potentially globally. SnEC 2011 drew over 180,000 visitors and 1830 exhibitors worldwide, making it the largest ever PV expo organised in Asia. To find out more visit www.snec.org.cn
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Recent developments in photovoltaic and solar thermal systems will be opened up for discussion at the 12th Forum Solarpraxis, Europe’s renowned industry meeting place in Berlin. The conference will bring representatives from politics, finance and the press together around the same table with the solar industry. IPVEA members recieve a discounted rate of 795 EUR instead of 945 EUR. Use ‘IPVEA’ when registering. The program is available under: http:// www.solarpraxis.de/en/conferences/12th-forum-solarpraxis/program/ Contact: Miriam Hegner, Solarpraxis AG Phone: +49 (0)30 / 72 62 96-304, E-Mail: Miriam.Hegner@solarpraxis.de
October 18th 2011, 8.00am – 10.30am w Dallas – Victory Hotel 2440 Victory Park Lane, Dallas, TX 75219 Bringing together local solar professionals with global corporations, Joint Forces for Solar is planning the 4th US PV Breakfast Briefing & networking Forum on October 18th 2011. Take full advantage of this unique opportunity to get together with those who matter to your business. Get the day off to a leisurely yet effective start, no trade fair hustle and bustle, but informative discussions, time to explore new business ideas and interact with an exclusive solar audience. For IPVEA members Joint Forces for Solar is offering free registration for the 4th US PV Breakfast Briefing & networking Forum. To register, go to http:// www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=999916 and use one of the following discount codes for no charge: - Market Intermediary, discount code: jf4sdallas - Exclusive Invitation, discount code: jf4sexclusive
Registration discounts available to members for Solar Power International (SPI) 2011 IPVEA is a partnering organisation for SPI’s upcoming event from October 17–20, 2011. The agreement entitles IPVEA members who are not members of the national SEIA or SEPA associations 15% off of the registration rate for the show. To obtain the code to qualify for the discount email Bryan Ekus at ekus@ipvea.com. Details of the show can be found at www. solarpowerinternational.com.
IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 15 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
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IPVEA UPDATE | OCTOBER 2011 | 17 Issued on behalf of the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association | www.ipvea.org | news@ipvea.com
ARE YOU IN?
Wafer manufacturing. Cell production. Module assembly. Microinverters. Selective emitter. Yield management. OPV. Process control. Automatic bussing. Trackers. Turnkey systems. Backsheets. Roll coating. Remote monitoring. Quality standard testing. Insurance. Design. Whether an investor, developer, or supplier the opportunities afforded by solar are endless. Be a part of it. PVMATRIX
matrix.ipvea.org