IPVEA_News_5_EUPVSEC_online by Bryan Ekus

PVNEWS ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION - THE WORLDWIDE VOICE FOR THE PV EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

S AT EU PV

IPVEA PHOTOVOLTAIC PRODUCTION WORKSHOP

SOLAR

TRADE

SHOW

CALENDAR

2009/10

36,84 4

34,10

30,56

LATEST PV MARKET FORECAST BY EuPD RESEARCH

20,56

40,000 35,000

16,75

21,71

10,00

30,000 5

8,375

13,06

25,000 0

14,08

20,000

10,000

2,044

5,189 1,326

2,798

5,000

877

0 m in fil cit y th ne d ca pa ysta lli un ce cit y cr an no m d ca pa in fil un ce st th an no fo re ca ta lli ne n ys uctio st cr pr od fo re ca n uctio pr od

2007 87 7 1 7, 59 36 8 2, 82

e 2009 3 6, 72 17 21 ,7 6 1, 32 5 6, 29

843

2,824

2,428

6,295

6,723

15,000 7,591

2,949

7,050

2008 8 2, 79 80 14 ,0 84 3 5, 18

e 2010 65 13 ,0 69 30 ,5 4 2, 04 0 7, 05

e 2011 57 16 ,7 04 34 ,1 8 2, 42 5 8, 37

e 2012 67 20 ,5 49 36 ,8 9 2, 94 00 10 ,0

NEW PRODUCTS

LATEST EQUIPMENT FROM IPVEA MEMBERS

INDUSTRY BUZZ

Obama Makes Solar Visit; Oerlikon Solar Tops Supplier List; Latest Partnership Deals Involving IPVEA Members

INSIDE IPVEA

BRITISH MARKET WHO’S SPOTLIGHT MAKING WHAT AS THE RECESSION HITS, LOWCOST ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS SHINE. BY PLASTIC ELECTRONICS

ALSO INSIDE…

BREAKDOWN OF TYPE OF CELL / MODULE TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIERS

IPVEA Endorses US Show – Solar Power International; Member Survey Confirms Association Mission, Agenda; Technology Committee Assembling ‘Roadmap’

TECHNOLOGY BREAKTHROUGHS Cutting-edge advancements in PV efficiency / output and more…

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INDUSTRY BUZZ NEWSLETTER ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

WELCOME Dear IPVEA Members and Industry Colleagues, Welcome to the summer edition of the IPVEA Newsletter. Thank you again to our members for participating in the recent IPVEA member’s survey. In regards to how members felt about their Association and its communications products, it was clear that all of you are happy with your association. Many interesting ideas also came out of the survey as well as good indicators of what events to support in 2010. This data will be further discussed within the Executive Board and the conclusions will soon be available in the “Members Only” section of the IPVEA website, and via our Member e-mail updates. Wishing you all a great summer! Bryan Ekus, Managing Director International Photovoltaic Equipment Association

PRESIDENT VISITS MILITARY BASE’S PV ARRAY, LARGEST INSTALLATION IN THE US

OERLIKON SOLAR TOPS VLSI LIST OF SOLAR TURNKEY LINE SUPPLIERS

US President Barack Obama made good on his campaign promise of pushing solar energy as part of his agenda, as he visited Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada May 27 to view the nation’s largest photovoltaic array.

By Tom Cheyney, Courtesy of Photovoltaics International www.pv-tech.org

“Right now, we’re standing near the largest solar electric plant of its kind in the entire Western Hemisphere,” President Obama said following a tour of Nellis’ 14-megawatt solar photovoltaic array. “More than 72,000 solar panels built on part of an old landfill provide 25 percent of the electricity for the 12,000 people who live and work here at Nellis. That’s the equivalent of powering about 13,200 homes during the day. It’s a project that will save the U.S. Air Force, which is the largest consumer of energy in the federal government, nearly $1 million a year.”

Like to have your say? The IPVEA would love to hear your news, please e-mail news@ipvea.com

INDUSTRY BUZZ

NEWSLETTER Produced by IPVEA www.ipvea.com

US ADDRESS IPVEA, P.O. Box 771507  Orlando, Florida 32877, USA Tel: +1 407 856 9100 Fax: +1 407 856 9500 Mobile: +1 407 733 1901   Editor in Chief: Bryan Ekus ekus@ipvea.com Managing Editor: Larry Jaffee news@ipvea.com Design: Doubletake Design Ltd. darren@doubletakedesign.co.uk

COVER IMAGE

Obama Makes Solar Visit; Oerlikon Solar Tops Supplier List

EUROPE ADDRESS IPVEA, P.O. Box 1610, D-63406 Hanau, Germany Mobile: +1 49 1577 682 7926

PAGE 2

President Barack Obama, Col. Dave Belote, 99th Air Base Wing commander, and Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., tour the Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., photovoltaic array here, May 27. As the largest solar energy field in the Western Hemisphere, the PVA has over 72,000 solar panels which save the base approximately $1 million a year in energy costs. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nadine Y. Barclay).

Cover image courtesy of Manz Automation AG Have you any interesting images for use in the newsletter? Please send to news@ipvea.com

BUZZ LITE

Latest Partnership Deals Involving IPVEA Members

PRODUCT BRIEFS

ACI-EcoTek; Dek Solar; TeamTechnik; Innolas; Reis, Rofin; Stangl, Dr. Schenk, KUKA Systems, LPKF

TECH BREAKTHROUGHS

Oerlikon Solar Announces Thin Film Efficiency/Power Output Record; Pasan Develops Solar Panel Tester for Satellite; and Swiss Mountain Restaurant Solar Station

MEMBER CHART OF WHO’S MAKING WHAT

12 14

Upcoming solar trade shows around the world through April 2010

UK MARKET SPOTLIGHT

18 20

IPVEA Endorses US Show – Solar Power International; Member Survey Confirms Association Mission, Agenda; Technology Committee Assembling ‘Roadmap’

MARKET DATA

EuPD Forecast: Thin Film Will Account for 23% of Global PV Market by 2010

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

Oerlikon Solar saw its turnkey business revenues nearly triple year over year, going from (US)$250 million in 2007 to $580 million last year, according to the survey. Andrew Thomas, a VLSI Research analyst, explained that the company “was first to market with a large-scale turnkey solution for silicon thin-film-onglass technology, and they definitely benefited in 2008 from the first-mover advantage.” He pointed out that Oerlikon Solar continues to announce new contracts and expects the company to profit further as existing customers seek to upgrade to its tandem-junction a-Si technology and to expand manufacturing capacity in the future, despite challenging economic conditions. The research firm attributes Centrotherm’s purchase of GP Solar as a contributing factor to the PV turnkey supplier’s move up the rankings list. The acquisition allowed the company to build up a formidable product range and provide turnkey solutions for both module and cell lines, helping drive its revenues in the space from $66 million in 2007 to $174 million in 2008. Schmid finished third with sales of $140 million in 2008 for its cell and module lines, the market research firm said.

Roth & Rau’s turnkey revenues from its silicon wafer-based cell manufacturing lines rose from $78 million to $101 million, according to VLSI Research’s data.

Feature Article: As Recession Bites Manufacturing, Low-Cost Organic Cells Shine, Reports Plastic Electronics

INSIDE IPVEA

Centrotherm took over the second-place slot from Roth & Rau, which dropped to the sixth position, while Gebr. Schmid GmbH, Ulvac , and Applied Materials rounded out the top five.

Applied Materials entered the turnkey market for the first time in 2008 with its SunFab silicon thin-film-on-glass line, finishing fifth in the rankings while garnering $106 million during the year. Other thin-film PV processes are now a part of its turnkey offerings spectrum as well. Centrotherm has added a CIGSon-glass platform to its product suite, while Roth & Rau will soon offer a CdTe line to its customers.

Breakdown of Type of Cell/Module Technology Suppliers

INDUSTRY CALENDAR

Oerlikon Solar maintained a comfortable lead in 2008 among solar turnkey manufacturing line providers in rankings released by VLSI Research.

“This base serves as a shining example of what’s possible when we harness the power of clean, renewable energy to build a new, firmer foundation for economic growth,” the president continued as he addressed a crowd of more than 450 airmen, civilians and community leaders. Obama touted Nellis as a solar program that can serve as a model for cities and states across America. “We’ll invest in the development and deployment of solar technology wherever it can thrive and we’ll find the best ways to integrate solar power into our electric grid,” he added.

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

Turnkey PV manufacturing lines are a particularly attractive way for companies with little or no experience in the PV industry to enter the market, says VLSI Research, and the relative ease of financing before 2009 has fueled rapid growth in the sector. Other turnkey silicon and thin-film PV cell and module production line suppliers include Spire, GT Solar, 3S Swiss Solar, Kuka, OTB Solar, Amelio Solar, and Ulvac. www.vlsiresearch.com

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ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

BUZZ LITE!

EU PV TECH PLATFORM IN VIENNA CONVENED IN JUNE

SEMILAB ACQUIRES AMS & QC SOLUTIONS

The EU Photovoltaic (PV) Technology Platform held its Fourth General Assembly on 19 June 2009, in Vienna, Austria. The event provided an overview of the current PV sector, including EU and national policies, market development, an update on research and technology and also a review of PV in developing countries.

Metrology company Semilab has acquired Advanced Metrology Systems (AMS) and QC Solutions. The two Massachusetts, US-based metrology companies enhance Semilab’s family of scalable, flexible solutions to help semiconductor and solar researchers and manufacturers characterize materials to reduce costs and increase yields, Semilab says.

Representatives of the EU Institutions as well as the Austrian Federal Ministries delivered speeches at the conference, which attracted more than 200 attendees. Participants included individuals from the research institutions and CEOs from Europe’s leading PV companies, as well as members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Austrian Federal Ministries.

TARGRAY, PEAK SIGN LONGTERM EXCLUSIVE DEAL Targray Technology International announced that it has signed a long-term partnership agreement with Peak Sun Materials for the exclusive supply of the highest quality Phosphorus Oxychloride (POCl3) to the solar industry. POCl3 is a highpurity liquid Phosphorus used as an N-Type dopant for silicon wafers. Under the terms of the agreement, Targray is now the exclusive supplier of Peak Sun’s POCl3 to the North American, European, Indian and Australian solar markets.

“With these acquisitions, we are expanding our ability to provide a full set of metrology solutions to support basic material characterization in everything from R&D settings to fully automated production lines,” states Dr. Tibor Pavelka, one of the founders and president and CEO of Semilab. “Semilab receives the benefit of their technologies and intellectual property, and we can combine product lines to better meet the needs of our customers.” Gunter Ziegenbalg, Managing Director Signet Solar and Michael Dobler, Managing Director of Dr. Schenk at the 4th Photovoltaic Technology Show in Munich in early March.

AMS offers extendable, scalable metrology platforms and solutions for fast and detailed characterization of three-dimensional etched structures, including high-aspect-ratio contacts and trenches, metal film thickness on product wafers; and high-speed online mapping of low-k material properties. QC Solutions offers patented, non-contact, nondestructive systems for the fast, accurate and repeatable measurement of the electrical properties of epitaxial and implanted silicon wafers. QC Solutions will also become part of Semilab AMS. www.semilab.hu

“Peak Sun is not only committed to manufacturing the best POCl3; the Five-Star grade has even lower levels of trace elements than the standard grade,” states Jack Bardakjian, Targray product manager. “For manufacturers, this means better bin distribution, improved minority carrier lifetimes which contribute to higher efficiencies and a lower manufacturing cost per watt.” www.peaksunsilicon.com www.targray.com.

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ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

MN GOVERNOR VISITS VEECO CELL FACILITY Tim Pawlenty, US Governor of Minnesota, visited Veeco’s St. Paul facility on May 8. Veeco is a leading manufacturer of equipment for the solar industry. The Governor was interested in learning about Veeco’s recent business growth as a key Minnesota employer focused on green energy technology. Veeco’s St. Paul workforce grew by 22% to 85 last year along with a 40% growth in the business’ revenues. The growth is expected to continue as renewable energy technologies take hold.

Governor Pawlenty toured Veeco’s 115,000 square foot facility, learning about the company’s technology and equipment that enable manufacture of thin film solar cells. Pawlenty met with company Governor Pawlenty addresses Veeco management and employees.

management and employees to discuss the benefits of Veeco’s equipment and the products that are made by Veeco’s customers. Veeco’s products are critical “building blocks” used to the manufacture CIGS (copper, indium, gallium, selenium) based solar cells in mass production, producing low cost, high efficiency solar panels. Veeco sells its equipment to many of the world’s leading manufacturers of CIGS solar cells. www.veeco.com

SPIRE ADDS RUDOLPH ANALYZERS TO LINES Spire Corporation, a global solar company providing turnkey solar factories and capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) modules worldwide, and Rudolph Technologies, Inc., a leader in process characterization solutions for semiconductor and photovoltaic manufacturing, announced recently they have reached an agreement to include Rudolph’s Discover Solar yield analysis and process management software as part of Spire’s turnkey manufacturing product lines. “Rudolph’s Discover Solar Software provides all the process information to our solar cell production lines. It will allow our customers to bring new lines up to profitable yields and volumes even faster than they can now,” said Dr. Avishai Kepten, Vice President of Solar Cell Lines of Spire Corporation. “Customers will be able to achieve higher average cell efficiencies and reduce manufacturing costs. Discover Solar software will give our customers a competitive edge.” “We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with Spire,” said Mike Plisinski, Vice President and General Manager of Rudolph’s Data Analysis business. “Discover Solar Software is the first yield management tool specifically designed to help PV manufacturers to maximize the efficiency of their cell devices, as well as optimize their production processes.” www.spirecorp.com www.rudolphtech.com

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

DR. SCHENK INTEGRATED IN SIGNET’S SUNFAB LINE Metrology solutions from Dr. Schenk GmbH will be integrated into the Applied SunFab Thin Film Line for PV modules of Signet Solar. With the start of mass production, Germany-based Signet Solar is the worldwide first manufacturer of thin film solar modules who will benefit from the reliable Schenk quality and process control systems in a SunFab line. Although having started as customer no. 5 of the new Applied SunFab Line, Signet had been the first to successfully turn the ramp up into high volume manufacturing of large-area modules. This success is based on Signet’s superior know-how and strategy. Now, the next step has to be taken in order to stay ahead of the competition. “The mass production identifies problems that can only be overcome by integrating additional inline metrology. We do not want to run the line in blind flight, therefore we decided to monitor the process, to further improve it and to control the quality of our modules with the solutions of the market leader Dr. Schenk,” says Gunter Ziegenbalg, managing director of Signet Solar. www.drschenk.com www.signetsolar.com

SPIRE, GLORIA SOLAR TO DISSOLVE JOINT VENTURE Spire Corporation, a global solar company providing turnkey solar factories and capital equipment to manufacture photovoltaic (PV) modules worldwide, and Gloria Solar Co., Ltd., of Tainan, Taiwan, a leader in PV module manufacturing, announced today that they have reached an agreement to liquidate their Joint Venture, Gloria Spire Solar, LLC, which performed PV systems integration within the US. Over the past several months, with the pause in the market for PV systems, Spire and Gloria reassessed their strategies for their respective solar product lines and reached the decision that the best course of action was to dissolve GSS. The companies agreed to an allocation of the remaining assets of GSS including cash, after all liabilities have been paid. Each company will also receive a share of project leads. Spire Solar Systems will continue to support the current customer base. Spire will re-establish this business as “Spire Solar Systems,” which will continue to provide PV

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

systems integration for the US market. Spire Solar Systems will be located at Spire’s headquarters in Bedford, Massachusetts. To maintain continuity with the existing client base, it will be staffed by several key employees from GSS and will operate under Stephen Hogan, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Spire Corporation, as acting CEO of Spire Solar Systems. “This new direction will free Spire to develop new opportunities emerging rapidly in the US systems market, stimulated by the federal funding,” said Roger G. Little, Chairman and CEO of Spire Corporation. “Also, Spire Solar Systems can provide an outlet for modules manufactured by our turnkey module line customers. Additionally we can provide systems design, training, and integration services to these customers. This approach supports our overall strategy of encouraging distributed local module manufacturing.” www.spirecorp.com www.gloriaspire.com

3S DELIVERS FIRST TURNKEY INDIAN PRODUCTION LINE

Yuichi Hyakusoku (President & CEO of Mediken Inc.) and Michael Dobler Managing Director (Dr. Schenk) at the PV Japan 2009.

Mediken Inc. distributes measurement equipment and offers services to the manufacturers of semiconductor, flat panel, optical media and recently thin film PV products. The cooperation between the two firms was officially announced at PV Japan 2009 (June 2426, Makuhari, Chiba) where Mediken Inc. and Dr. Schenk GmbH presented metrology solutions for the solar industry side by side. www.drschenk.com www.mediken.jp

3S Swiss Solar Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of 3S Industries AG, delivered its first semi-automatic production line, 25MW to Emmvee Photovoltaics, of Gangangar, Bangalore, four months after it was ordered. 3S reported that three more Indian companies have currently placed orders for a turnkey production line for solar modules or are about to sign a contract. Emmvee has now begun manufacturing highly efficient modules made of crystalline and metallurgic solar cells in for the global market, and has already ordered the machines necessary to expand the line to 50MW. The new line at Emmvee comprises an automatic string soldering station from Somont, a laminating line from 3S Swiss Solar Systems and a module tester from Pasan. www.3-s.ch

DR. SCHENK PICKS JAPANESE PARTNER FOR SALES & SERVICE Dr. Schenk GmbH, a leader in thin film metrology, is now intensifying its efforts to win the Japanese market by assigning Mediken Inc. to strengthen the brand’s presence in Japan and support the company with local sales and service functions.

Email your news items to news@ipvea.com PAGE 5

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

PRODUCT BRIEFS

ROFIN POWERLINE SL PV SERIES

STANGL LINEA INLINE WET PROCESS

The ILS TT models are laser tools that have been especially developed for the photovoltaic industry for processing monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon solar cells.

Rofin especially developed new laser beam sources for photovoltaic applications with its PowerLine SL PV series for use in automation and production systems.

PROBLEM Throughput and productivity of solar cell manufacturing is constantly increasing. At the same time the cell thickness in general continues to decrease. Process tools thus have to combine highest process speed with a minimum of impact on the material being processed.

PROBLEM The laser scribing processes used in that area place very high demands on the beam quality, especially on the symmetry within two Rayleigh ranges. In addition, a very high pulse-to-pulse stability is required at high frequencies.

STANGL Semiconductor Equipment AG (STANGL), producer of qualified wet process equipment, introduces its new LINEA Inline wet process equipment for PV Si cells. LINEA is a horizontally working inline wet process platform for cleaning and etching of crystalline solar wafers.

APPLICATIONS Laser edge isolation, laser-fired contacts, microvia hole drilling, SiN / SiO2 ablation, downsizing, surface modification and laser surface structuring of crystalline solar cells.

SOLUTION Specially designed for these requirements, the new PowerLine SL PV lasers optimally cover current and future demands in the production of modern PV thin-film systems. The laser beam sources are available in wavelengths of 532 nm (PowerLine SL 3 SHG PV) and 1064 nm (PowerLine SL 20 PV). With the integration of a motor-controlled beam expansion unit in the laser head, the output beam can be used directly. The new temperature management system of the PowerLine SL PV series provides for excellent long-term stability in regard to high performance: self-actuating thermal monitoring, stabilization of all relevant optical components with Peltier elements and heat dissipation with an air- or water-cooled cooling plate. The pump diode and the RF generator are located in the compact laser head. This simplifies integration and makes great distances between the location of use and the supply unit possible as required. APPLICATIONS With the PowerLine SL PV series, stable production processes with high throughput rates and excellent processing quality can be implemented. The new beam sources reduce operating costs and guarantee high availability.

www.innolas-systems.com

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www.rofin.com

PROBLEM There aren’t many providers of wet-chemical machines for both crystalline silicon and thin-film solar technology. SOLUTION Stangl´s LINEA inline etching system can be configured up to max. 1,700 or 3,400 wafers per hour (156mm), which equals a production capacity of 30 and 60 MW. LINEA completes the portfolio of Stangl’s integrated wet process solutions for solar cell manufacturing lines. The LINEA design is based on a newly developed sophisticated transport system and a special chemical flow system to process the wafers horizontally with a very low breakage rate (<0.1%) and a high etching uniformity. Combined with Stangl’s machines, Singulus has been marketing its own solar coating machine with wet-chemical and vacuum coating processes for a production line for crystalline silicon solar cells. APPLICATIONS Stangl’s new system LINEA follows the trend towards handling solar wafers down to 150 μm. Not only the highly integrated design and a high throughput, but also the high availability and low breakage rate make LINEA attractive for solar cell manufacturers worldwide. Furthermore, LINEA is characterized by its high flexibility concerning wafer type, size and thickness as well as its reduced chemical consumption.

www.stangl.de

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

PRODUCT BRIEFS

Product briefs are presented in conjunction with Photovoltaics International

INNOLAS SYSTEMS GMBH ILS TT

SOLUTION Leading-edge processing methods such as laser structuring, laser scribing and laser drilling all have an appreciable effect on the quality and productivity of crystalline silicon solar cell manufacture. Laser processing increases the efficiency of the finished solar cells. Another particular quality of laser processing is that it employs a contact-free process. This means that laser processing helps avoid wafer breakage and damage to the wafer surface

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

ACI-ECOTEC GMBH & CO. KG ECOSPLIT

DEK SOLAR PVP1200 SCREEN PRINTER

The ecoSplit wet wafer separator has proven to be an economical, fast and reliable solution for separating pre-cleaned, raw wet solar wafers from the wire saw, for inline or batch processing.

The PVP1200 is a breakthrough modular screen printing platform designed to deliver the high yields and throughput rates required by the solar processing sector for high-accuracy manufacture of quality c-Si cells.

PROBLEM Solar wafers from pre-cleaned wet stacks from the wire saw need to be separated for the subsequent cleaning processes. Wet wafers are held together by fluid retention making them very difficult to manually separate without breakage. The market cost per wafer is dropping and thinner wafers are more fragile causing higher breakages through manual handling. Consequently manufacturers need to compensate through the higher production yields of automation. SOLUTION The ecoSplit offers an automated separation solution for both multi and mono-crystalline wafers. Wafers are gently teased apart mechanically without stress or damage, whilst a spray system ensures wafers are kept wet throughout the process and during transportation. An automatic rejection lane for wafers out of thickness tolerance ensures a high up-time and the system has been tested successfully with wafers to <150μm. The ecoSplit is a separation system that offers a short ROI by providing a totally safe, proven, and fast method of separating wafers. APPLICATIONS The system is flexible to fit customer needs and is offered in two basic configurations. For Inline processing, the ecoSplit-I offers maximum throughput over numerous output lanes to feed the Inline cleaner directly. Whilst ‘batch’ ecoSplit-C offers loading of separated wafers direct to the wafer carrier. AVAILABILITY 12 Weeks for a standard product; for customized solutions, allow 16 - 24 weeks.

www.aci-ecotec.com

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

PROBLEM With the high demand for raw silicon, producers are sawing the material into thinner slices to achieve more substrates per silicon ingot. Silicon substrates of 150 microns thickness are now common and these are very brittle – leading to issues of breakages, which, in turn, cause wastage and reduced yield. SOLUTION The PVP1200 answers the industry’s demand for meticulous handling characteristics from the process line with handling and support mechanisms suitable for wafer thicknesses from 1mm down to 120 micron. The handling characteristics of the PVP1200 are paramount in minimizing breakages during metallization to maximize yield and cost-ofownership. The substrate transport mechanisms never grip the fragile cell by its edges, nor exert more force on the cell than its own mass, even during flipping, buffering and unloading into cassettes. DEK also provides high-speed machine vision capabilities to ensure perfect alignment from the very first wafer. APPLICATIONS In addition, while other metallization systems are typically very large, the PVP1200’s small size means the printing process operates at approximately waist height, which offers clear visibility and easy print area access to operators through the domed and hinged Plexiglas top covers.

TEAMTECHNIK MASCHINEN UND ANLAGEN GMBH STRINGER TT900 / TT1200 With the stringer technology, teamtechnik has specialized in contact-free soldering processes with laser or IR light. PROBLEM Different combinations of materials (cells/ribbons/ flux) need different soldering parameters. Thinner cells are more sensitive for soldering. SOLUTION The laser beam can generate energy without contact, achieving the optimum amount depending on where it’s positioned on the cell. To avoid damages or cell breakage, the laser soldering works in a closed loop (controlled) technology and brings in the energy in any possible position. To avoid damages or cell breakage, the laser soldering works in a closed loop (uncontrolled) technology and brings in the energy in any possible position. All parameters can be chosen individually: Power / Temperature / Time/ Position/ Speed/ Repeat movement of beam, etc. Soldering requires precision, and can be adjusted within the process, according to the needs to achieve a perfect soldering result, providing a low breakage rate, non-contract soldering, high peelforce that’s sensitive to thin cells (160 mm). A special hold-down device functions as a positioning tool, guaranteeing an absolutely exact position of the connectors on the solar cell. The hold-down-device sequences as an auxiliary tool through the entire machine and soldering process, while it fixes the solar cell exactly to the connector.

Achieving 6-sigma process capability at a resolution of ±12.5 microns, the PVP1200 commands the very best performance and industry specifications from one of the most compact footprints available today.

APPLICATIONS The STRINGER TT900/TT1200 soldering is very precise, and can be adjusted within the process according to the needs to achieve a perfect soldering result. Low breakage rate, non-contract soldering, high peel-force, sensitive to thin cells (160 mm).

www.deksolar.com

www.teamtechnik.com

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ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

PRODUCT BRIEFS

Product briefs are presented in conjunction with Photovoltaics International

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

PRODUCT BRIEFS

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

SE AT EU PV

IPVEA PHOTOVOLTAIC KUKA SYSTEMS KS UTG 156.1

REIS SOLAR SYSTEMS LASER SOLDERING

DR. SCHENK SOLARMEASURE

KUKA Systems’ Energy Team has designed a new generation of wafer gripping solutions which is based on KUKA’s top selling KR Sixx & Scara Robots

Reis Robotics, the system supplier for photovoltaic module lines, has implemented a newly developed laser soldering procedure for practical use with several customers.

The Electrical Insulation Tester is a measurement solution for thin film solar modules. It performs an electrical insulation test between the solar cells after scribing. The system detects shorts and minimum resistance between neighboring cells.

PROBLEM The PV industry is striving for thinner wafers and high efficiency photovoltaic cells in addition to the need for higher automation and reliability. SOLUTION High Speed Ultra Thin Gripper This extremely thin and robust solution made of carbon fibre allows high speed gripping and precise positioning at one time. Integrated multiple vacuum chan-nels ensure firmly gripping of the wafers for fast movement and soft holding for accurate positioning. By using carbon fibre, a gripper thickness of 3 mm is made possible. Hence single wafers or cells can be picked from carriers from any position. Touchless Gripping and Transport KUKA relies on the solution of German Zimmermann & Schilp combining ultra-sound with vacuum technology: An ultrasonic cushion ensures noncontact gripping and avoids wafer warp and vibration while fast and accurate pick and place operations are carried out. By touching the cell from only one side the edge contact is minimized during the whole transport. It features low energy consumption as well as a high through-put: cycle time is less than one second per wafer. APPLICATION Both solutions are designed for robustness and reliability which are basic re-quirements for the needs of high automation. Due to a very low demand of compressed and cleaned air the systems have a large advantage compared to other solutions based on the Bernoulli technology. Due to the non-contact grip-ping the need of repair or spare parts is limited to a minimum as suction cups or cushions are no longer in direct touch with the cells or wafers. Hence costs for spare parts and services remain at a low level. www.kuka-systems.com

PAGE 8

PROBLEM Photovoltaics manufacturers are increasingly anxious to fully exploit the automation potential of their production in order to deal with the increasing demands for lower prices. SOLUTION A newly developed laser soldering method ensures further increases in quality, shortened cycle times and reductions in manual rework. An integral process controller monitors and documents the production process. In doing this, it is possible to concentrate the heat input such that soldering can be done directly on the EVA foil. With direct soldering on the foil, unnecessary multiple handling of the strings during the pre-process is avoided. The integrated process monitors the soldering of each joint individually and the data from this can be transferred and saved in a database for later documentation and quality control. Furthermore, faulty solder joints are reported directly via a monitor at a subsequent work station so that a worker recognizes these immediately and can manually resolder. APPLICATIONS The laser soldering system achieves almost half of the total cycle time compared to conventional methods. The high flexibility of the system furthermore allows various module sizes due to fast setting. Features also include high traction forces > 10 N, determined acc. to DIN EN 50461:2006

PROBLEM In thin film PV modules the electric current is flowing between the solar cells which are defined during laser scribing processes on the conductive layer (e.g. TCO or molybdenum). A discontinuity of these scribes will cause short circuits and minimum resistance between neighboring cells. Both situations can result in a loss of cell performance and by this in an overall reduction of the performance of the solar module. SOLUTION Dr. Schenk offers all-in-one quality assurance and process control systems for the solar panel production. The surface inspection systems SolarInspect can now be combined with beneficial measurement tasks in just one solution for higher yield. With the Electrical Insulation Tester from the product line SolarMeasure, shorts and minimum resistance between cells can reliably be detected. Modules with reduced performance quality can thus be rejected from further processing. At the same time, the system helps to draw conclusions, where parameters of the scribing process need adjustment. APPLICATIONS Dr. Schenk’s Electrical Insulation Tester is applicable to thin film solar modules with a wide range of dimension and thickness and is installed in-line after the P1 scribing. The Electrical Insulation Tester from Dr. Schenk is the ideal endorsement to surface inspection. The system is available as add-on to Dr. Schenk inspection systems SolarInspect or as stand-alone product.

LPKF SOLARQUIPMENT PRECISE LASER SCRIBING OF THIN FILM SOLAR MODULES Production of thin film solar modules requires a precise laser scribing method to achieve the monolithic series interconnection in a cost efficient way. The efficiency of the solar panels directly depends on the accuracy of the scribing process. By realizing innovative solutions the LPKF SolarQuipment Allegro® Laser systems combine both, high precision and throughput. PROBLEM Scribing insulating channels on thin film solar panels has to be very exact. The smaller the dead area, the higher the module output. If there is any thermal or plastic distorsion in the glass substrate, the resulting solar panel becomes even less efficient. SOLUTION LPKF Allegro® laser systems can achieve the most precise results. Air bearings stand for low maintenance, long term stability and axis precision. The Dynamic Design technology always moves the dynamically most reasonable component: the compact laser working head and not the sensitive glass substrate. Automatic alignment of scribing against existing structures and an integrated compensation of glass waviness ensures the required accuracy. A variety of laser sources is available to machine different thin film technologies. APPLICATIONS Laser scribing of thin film solar panels based on CdTe, aSi, aSi/µSi, CIGS technology with an extremely high throughput at highest precision. PLATFORM LPKF Allegro® series, modular and taylored to customer requirements.

PRODUCTION WORKSHOP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 MEETING ROOM B3.3, HAMBURG MESSE ADMISSION: FREE OF CHARGE WITH ADVANCED REGISTRATION AT WWW.IPVEA.COM

SILICON OR THIN FILM TECHNOLOGY:

This is an IPVEA member led workshop on thin film and silicon cell production. Morning Session - Silicon Photovoltaics: Starting at 10:00 am Slot 1: From Silicon Raw Material to Wafer including Silicon Raw Material, Blocks, Crystalline Material, including sawing, cleaning etc. Coffee Break Slot 2: Silicon Cell Production, including all Front End & Back End steps Slot 3: Silicon Module Manufacturing Afternoon Session - Thin film: Starting at 13:00 pm Slot 4: PV Market Report, VLSI Slot 5: Why Thin Film PV – Targets and advantages Slot 6: CIS/CIGS Thin Film PV Cell Production Slot 7: Amorph Thin Film PV Cell Production- from Front end to Back End, incl. Glass handling

If you are interested in participating in the program please contact Bryan Ekus at: ekus@ipvea.com www.reisrobotics.de

www.drschenk.com

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

www.SolarQuipment.de

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

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ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

TECH BREAKTHROUGHS

THIN-FILM SILICON EFFICIENCY/OUTPUT RECORD SET Oerlikon Solar announced in late May that it has achieved a new record efficiency level for commercial thin film silicon PV modules. Recent test results from Oerlikon Solar’s pilot production line in Switzerland show that full-size Micromorph modules (1.4 m2) have 151 Watts initial power, or 11% initial power conversion efficiency. According to Oerlikon Solar, this result sets a new industry record for production thin film silicon modules. Oerlikon Solar was able to consistently reproduce modules with similar record results, demonstrating a stable and scalable process. “This achievement clearly demonstrates Oerlikon Solar’s technical leadership and is another key milestone on our path to grid parity,” stated Jeannine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar. Oerlikon Solar has previously announced an ambitious production cost target of USD 0.70 per Watt peak and is on track to achieve this target by end of 2010. Increased module efficiency and power are key contributors to this goal. The excellent performance of the record modules demonstrates the advantage of Oerlikon Solar’s end to end manufacturing solution. Oerlikon Solar’s advanced PV technologies and process integration know-how result in an optimized manufacturing solution that is able to achieve higher conversion efficiencies and lower cost of ownership. An example of this technology optimization is Oerlikon Solar’s integration of a proprietary process to deposit high-quality transparent conducting oxide (TCO) on the front and back surfaces of the active thin film silicon junction. This TCO is engineered to optimize the performance of the Micromorph technology by improving light transmittance and light scattering, resulting in maximum efficiency and electricity output. “We successfully implemented several modifications of key processes of our end-to-end production line, leading to the increase in initial power output and efficiency,” emphasized Dr. Juerg Henz, Head of Thin Film Engineering and Operations at

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Oerlikon Solar. “We are confident that our ability to repeatedly achieve record results can be transferred into mass production soon.” Oerlikon Solar’s IEC-certified Micromorph technology 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, facilitating efficiency increases of up to 50 percent. The Micromorph technology also bolsters overall module power, enabling a growing number of PV module manufacturers around the globe to produce cost-effective high-performance thin film silicon solar modules. www.oerlikon.com

PASAN DEVELOPS SOLAR PANEL SATELLITE TESTER The Pasan company, a 100% subsidiary of 3S Industries AG, has developed a special solar panel tester for Thales Alenia Space, the leading developer of satellites and components for space technology. The new device simulates the characteristics of the sun in space very accurately. This guarantees that only the most productive panels are put into operation to supply the satellites with energy, thus ensuring the longevity of the satellites. Terrestrial customers also benefit from the newly developed advanced technology, since expertise from the project is employed directly in the development of new products – in particular in the area of thin-film technology. With the new technology from Pasan, Thales Alenia Space tests the productivity of solar panels, which are designed to supply satellites in space with the energy they require. Highly accurate tests guarantee long-term, smooth operation of the expensive satellites, which have an average life of between ten and fifteen years. With efficiency levels of around 40%, the solar panels in space have to have a significantly higher output than conventional panels. Even small reductions in the output of the panels can prevent the satellites from functioning properly long-term, which can lead to large losses for the operators.

Thales Alenia Space usually tests the output of reference panels with the help of a balloon at a height of about 10,000 m. With Pasan’s new tester Thales now can simulate the sun’s spectrum in space very accurately. This means that whole series of panels can be tested very reliably on the ground. In its satellites Thales Alenia Space uses solar panels with so-called triple solar cells, which are composed of three cells from different semi-conductors stacked one on top of the other. Testing the special high-performance solar cells in conditions similar to those in space requires a tester, which is above average in terms of both homogenity and spectrum. This is where Pasan has developed a new, unique solution that can also be used for conventional thin-film applications. This way many other customers can benefit from this high-tech development project. The newly developed tester flashes light onto up to 20 m² panels with an intensity which is 1.4 times greater than light on Earth. “We are proud of the fact that we could successfully develop this space application and deliver it to Thales Alenia Space for the beginning of our anniversary year 2009,” says Andreas von Känel, Pasan’s CEO. “The knowledge we have gained lives on in our devices for conventional applications,” says von Känel. www.3-s.ch

SIXTRON’S SUNBOX WINS BEST PROCESS CELL AWARD During a ceremony held at Intersolar 2009 in Munich, Germany, the Sixtron SunBox, an efficient silane-free system for applying anti-reflective coatings, was awarded the Cell Award for Best Process Technology in Crystalline Silicon Cell Manufacturing. The Cell Awards are judged by a consortium of the solar industry’s leading companies and research organizations, including Q-Cells, Suntech Power and Fraunhofer ISE, and recognise products with the most potential to lower the cost of solar technology. “Our panel of judges from across the solar industry knows all too well how difficult it is

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

TECH BREAKTHROUGHS to expand manufacturing operations when burdened with silane safety infrastructure and procedures,” said David Owen, managing director of Photovoltaics International. “Sixtron’s technology is alleviating this liability, and we believe it will become an important part of solar’s journey toward grid parity.” The SunBox is an on-site gas generation system that uses a solid polymer source material to safely and effectively deposit anti-reflective and passivation layers on crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells. The SunBox system is plug & play compatible with industry standard plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment on both new and existing manufacturing lines.

Bates Marshall, Sixtron’s VP of Sales and Marketing, accepts the award for the Best Process Technology c-Si Cell Manufacturing Lines from ersol President Holger van Hebel at the Cell Award 2009 event in Munich.

Prior to the introduction of the SunBox, antireflective coatings and passivation layers have primarily been deposited using silane. This pyrophoric gas, which requires costly safety and handling procedures, multiplies manufacturers’ financial and operational risks. “The SunBox delivers process improvement to solar cell manufacturers while at the same time reducing both capital expenses and operating costs,” said Zbigniew Barwicz, CEO of Sixtron. The SunBox coating system is sold directly to solar cell and equipment manufacturers by Sixtron, and is currently being evaluated by leading equipment providers for inclusion into existing and future turnkey offerings. Sixtron is a private company focused on developing scalable and cost-effective industrial coating systems that avoid the costs and hazards associated with shipping silane gas and handling it on-site at PV fabs. The proprietary Sixtron SunBox system delivers gas using industry standard PECVD equipment to deposit anti-reflective and backside passivation coatings on crystalline silicon solar cells. The company has worked closely throughout its product development with leading research organizations such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO and the University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

Research and Education (UCEP) in Atlanta, GA. Sixtron has raised over $12 million since inception from Ventures West Capital, Inovia Capital and Cycle Capital. www.sixtron.com

LAYER THICKNESS MEASUREMENT AT INTERSOLAR Vitronic and tec5 demonstrated at this year’s Intersolar May 27-29 in Munich their joint state-of-the-art inline spectroscopy technology solution for layer thickness measurement in solar cell production. By cooperating in this area and bringing together the core competences of the two companies, a new generation of colour inspection was born – not just reflection and colour measurement at coated wafers, but everything from service to integration in the production line.

Vitronic develops, manufactures and markets these products in-house. Therefore, the clients receive complete turnkey-ready systems from a single manufacturer – from the hardware to the software. Vitronic delivers image-processing systems for the following branches: automobile and automotive supply industry, photovoltaic systems, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, and packaging, among others. www.vitronic.com

VEECO INTRODUCES ‘FASTLINE’ COATING Veeco Instruments Inc. announced the introduction of its FastLine platform of Glass Coating Systems, leveraging Veeco’s proven PV-Series Thermal Deposition Sources. Veeco’s new FastLine platform is designed for high throughput, low cost of ownership production of CIGS (copper, indium, gallium and selenium) solar cells.

Vitronic and tec5 have been working together since 2008 in the area of wafer inspection. As a result, they created an inline solution for reflection and colour measurement of the blue reflex coating. The spectroscopy technology records the physical aspects of the reflex coating. On this basis, the layer thickness and the potential efficiency are calculated.

Piero Sferlazzo, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Veeco’s Solar Equipment business, commented, “Veeco is now the only equipment company offering integrated production-scale solutions for CIGS manufacturing on glass using thermal evaporation sources for the CIGS/absorber layer. Customers can now choose Veeco to provide

Just by using fast diode array technology inspection within the production cycle is possible. Application specific software visualizes the measurement result of every wafer in real time. This data is taken using nine measuring points. The user interface shows the user not only the physical values but also the particular colour values and the associated layer thickness. Thereby the wafers can be effortlessly sorted by colour. All measurement results are saved and allow the tracking of every wafer.

comprehensive, fully integrated equipment to manufacture CIGS solar cells, whether they choose to use our FastLine systems for glass or our FastFlex systems for flexible substrates.”

The data can also be used for statistical analyses. In addition to the complete integration into the system controller, an SEGS/GEM compliant transmission of all measurement data is ensured. tec5 manufactures high-quality, state-of-theart products for detector array based optical spectroscopy from single OEM Components like Operating Electronics up to complete UV/VIS/ NIR Spectrometer Systems for a wide range of applications. tec5 was established in 1993 and is based in Oberursel. A team of engineers, physicists, technicians and application experts make up a highly qualified and experienced staff. Vitronic in Wiesbaden has been delivering standard products with client-specific extendable modules up to individual special solutions since 1984.

Thermal evaporation, as compared to other deposition methods, produces the highest efficiency thin film solar cells and has the lowest materials costs with high material utilization driving down the manufacturing cost per watt. Veeco’s FastLine systems can handle up to thirty 1.1m x 1.4m glass panels/hour. The modular architecture of the system allows customers to scale their output according to their needs. The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has claimed a world record for CIGS thin-film solar cell conversion efficiency of 19.9 percent. The conversion efficiency for CIGS is now close to that of multi-crystalline silicon-based solar cells, according to NREL. This achievement was hailed as an important milestone because the efficiency of thin film solar cells is now achieving its goal of matching silicon in performance. www.veeco.com

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

CELL / MODULE TECHNOLOGY IPVEA MEMBER COMPANY 3S Swiss Solar Systems AG ABB Group ACI Ecotec GmbH & Co. KG Anwell Solar Technologies Limited Bekaert Advanced Coatings N.V. Bosch Rexroth AG Celerity, Inc. DEK International GmbH Diamond Wire Technology, LLC Dr. Schenk GmbH dr. schwab GmbH E+H Metrology GmbH EBARA Precision Machinery Europe GmbH Ferrotec Corporation GfE Metalle und Materialien GmbH Heateflex Corporation Hermann Otto GmbH Honeywell Analytics Innolas GmbH Jonas & Redmann Photovoltaics Production Solutions GmbH KITEC microelectric technologie GmbH Komax Solar KUKA Systems GmbH LPKF SolarQuipment GmbH LSW Maschinenfabrik GmbH M+W Zander FE GmbH Manz Automation AG Maschinenbau GEROLD GmbH & Co. KG Meier Solar Solutions GmbH Meyer Burger Technology AG Newport Corporation Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum GmbH Oerlikon Solar Ltd., Trubbach OTB Group Pall GmbH Pasan SA Reis GmbH & Co. KG RENA Sondermaschinen GmbH Robert Burkle GmbH Rofin Baasel Lasertech Roth & Rau AG Schaeffler KG Schiller Automation GmbH Semilab Co. Ltd. Singulus Technologies AG Sixtron Advanced Materials Inc. Solar Line Saxony (SLS) Soleras Ltd. Somont GmbH Spire Corporation STANGL Semiconductor Equipment AG Stein Automation GmbH & Co. KG Synova S.A. Targray Technology International teamtechnik GmbH Tecnofimes SRL Trumpf Laser GmbH + Co. KG Veeco Instruments, Inc. VITRONIC Dr.-Ing. Stein VON ARDENNE Anlagentechnik GmbH

Wafer

Si Thin Film

X X

CELL / MODULE EQUIPMENT TYPE

Non-Si Thin Film

III-V

Other

Turnkey

Automation

Thermal

X X

X X X X

X X

Deposition

Etch

Test

Module

Other

X X X X

X X

X X X

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X X X X X X

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X X X

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X X X

X X X X

X X X

X X

X X X X

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X X X

X X

X X X

OTHER

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MATERIAL PROVIDER

X X X

X X

X X X X X X X

Wafer & Ingot Equipment

X X X

X X

SILICON

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

X X

X Source Information provided by VLSI Research

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

TECH BREAKTHROUGHS OERLIKON SOLAR’S THIN-FILM MODULE WINS CELL AWARD Oerlikon Solar won a 2009 CELL AWARD, presented at the Intersolar 2009 Conference in Munich for its KAI 1200 PECVD system as “the best technical product for thin film manufacturing.” “We are very proud of this achievement and recognition of Oerlikon Solar’s technology leadership and production worthy equipment” said Jeannine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar. “The award reflects our intensive research and development in thin film PV. Oerlikon Solar is committed to continue its technology leadership in executing its industry leading roadmap to make solar power economically viable.” Oerlikon Solar is currently servicing 10 established customers in operation or ramp up worldwide representing 600 MWp of yearly production capacity, enough to power 480,000 households. Oerlikon Solar’s KAI 1200 PECVD technology (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) is a machine used to deposit the silicon absorber layers that are at the heart of Oerlikon Solar’s Micromorph thin film silicon PV technology. The deposition of these layers is one of the most critical steps in the production of thin film, and the quality of this manufacturing step determines to a large extent the overall efficiency and performance of thin film PV modules. In addition to producing high quality absorber layers, the KAI 1200 is designed to significantly improve the speed of manufacturing, reducing the process cycle time by over 30 percent. The improvements resulting from the KAI 1200 are a major factor in reducing the total cost of manufacturing on the path to grid parity. The KAI 1200 PECVD was derived from another semiconductor manufacturing application, the production of thin film transistor (TFT) displays. Modifying and optimizing this proven PECVD technology for the production of thin film silicon PV required mastering some significant technical challenges, in particular increasing the frequency of the plasma source to improve deposition speed, while ensuring that the “standing wave effect” associated with higher plasma source frequency did not cause a loss of uniformity and sub-optimal module efficiency. Oerlikon Solar engineers successfully developed a process for using a plasma source RF excitation frequency of 40 MHz, several times higher than the industry norm of 13.56 MHz. Based on its research in partnership with the IMT in Neuchatel, Switzerland and the EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland,

PAGE 14

Oerlikon invented a dielectric lens compensation that eliminates the standing wave effect. “The 40 MHz VHF technology incorporated into our patented Plasma Box has considerably increased deposition rates and improved the absorber layer quality, resulting in record efficiency levels for Oerlikon Solar’s thin film silicon technology,” stated Dr. Juerg Henz, Head of Thin Film Engineering and Operations. Where typical deposition rates of one to two Ångstroms were reported previously, the KAI 1200 allowed Oerlikon Solar to double the deposition rate on its 1.4m2 solar panels at best-inclass layer quality.

alpine level, is optimal for a solar installation. The clean air of the mountains, the reflection from the snow and the dominant low temperatures all have a positive effect on the performance of solar modules. In view of the extreme weather conditions, the photovoltaic installation required a supplier of highpower panels with a long-life guarantee. 3S developed and produced special, extremely weatherproof solar modules for the façade of the restaurant on the peak. With the laminators from 3S Swiss Solar Systems, which can achieve unique temperature homogeneity, the glass modules with unusually thick glass of 18mm (almost five times

Amorphous single-junction modules have shown an initial aperture efficiency of 9.6 percent, Micromorph cells are already beyond 13 percent. From the first concepts in early 2000, Oerlikon Solar successfully implemented this new plasma source into mass production. Since then over 900,000 thin film silicon solar modules have been produced applying Oerlikon Solar’s patented Plasma Box 40 MHz technology. www.oerlikon.com

EUROPE’S HIGHEST SOLAR STATION POWERING RESTAURANT Restaurant Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, sitting high on the Swiss mountain “Klein Matterhorn,” is powered by solar modules supplied by 3S Swiss Solar Systems, supplying electricity at an altitude of just under 4000 metres. The high-precision laminating technology from Lyss guarantees that the solar modules will have a long useful life under extreme weather conditions.

the thickness of traditional modules) were able to be manufactured under optimal laminating conditions. High-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells from the ersol company were used in the process. Through the aesthetically appealing integration of the solar panels into the façade, the result on the Klein Matterhorn is a perfect synthesis of a robust, weatherproof building shell and efficient, environmentally friendly generation of electricity. The restaurant offers seating for 120 and overnight accommodation for 40 guests. It is owned by the Zermatt Mountain Railways.. The pioneering photovoltaic project from Peak Architects (Zurich/ Zermatt), the façade planning firm of Burri Müller Partner in Burgdorf and MLG Metal and Planning AG in Bern was implemented together with the power stations of the Canton of Bern.

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

MARKET DATA THIN FILM FORECAST: 23% OF GLOBAL PV MARKET BY 2012 Editor’s note: The following article was provided by EuPD Research The booming market segment of thin film solar panels gives a promising outlook for producers and machinery suppliers. The forecasts for this segment are positive, but the competition is constantly becoming more intense as more and more providers from other industries move into the market. Thin film solar panels are continuously on the rise. According to EuPD Research, the leading market researcher in the field of renewable energies, the share of the total volume of global PV production output from thin film had been around 14 percent in 2008 and is expected to increase to at least 23 percent by 2012 in comparison to crystalline cells. Currently, the most mature thin film technology with the highest production is cadmium telluride (CdTe), notably due to the successful mass-production from First Solar Inc. Because of the slow progress from players in the European a-Si and tandem fields and the rather cautious expansion plans of the Asian manufacturers, EuPD Research expects CdTe to remain the most common thin film technology in the coming years. However, a-Si and tandem will catch-up in 2012, as some 65 percent of the market entrants have begun investing in this technology, putting the pressure on CdTe producers. The technology with the lowest production output, CIS/CIGS will remain active, but active only in attractive market segments. Thin film panels have established themselves as a tremendously cost competitive alternative, offering a lower price per watt than silicon wafer-based panels. In the recently issued “PV Thin Film Industry Guidebook 2009,” the market experts of EuPD Research estimate that in 2012 nearly 3GW of thin film modules will be sold. Compared to 2008 in which 843MW of thin film modules were sold,

reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of at least 28.5 percent. This is a promising outlook for all thin film producers as well as their equipment and raw material suppliers. Within the supply industry the competition is intensifying as more competitors enter the market. The machinery supply industry is beginning to move in offering specialized equipment for the production process, and the solar boom is attracting more and more machinery suppliers, from other industries as well. In general, the highly integrated production process of the PV thin film modules makes the industry very suitable for integrated solutions as provided by the leading turnkey providers. As a result, the general concentration at the a-Si and tandem supply side is actually very high, stemming from the strong role of turnkey machinery suppliers such as Oerlikon, Applied Materials and Ulvac. “Global PV Production: Crystalline vs. Thin Film,” Source: EuPD Research 2009.

www.eupd-research.com

IPVEA Members Only – EuPD Research grants 10 % Discount Besides a discount on the “PV Thin Film Industry Guidebook 2009” our partners from EuPD Research grant a 10 % discount on selected products to all IPVEA members. For further details and product information please check the members section on our website www.IPVEA.com

40,000 36,849 34,104

35,000 30,569

30,000 25,000 21,717

Never before has a building-integrated photovoltaic installation of this kind been commissioned at a comparable altitude in Europe. With an installed output of 22 kilowatts, as much electricity can be generated on the Klein Matterhorn as the annual approximate consumption of 12 family homes. That is powered by 108 solar panels from 3S Swiss Solar Systems, all of them integrated on a surface area of about 200 m2 in the façade of the building. “The realisation of a solar installation in this high-alpine location is a pioneering project,” says Patrick HoferNoser, the CEO of Swiss Solar Systems. The planning, production and installation of this unique solar power station was fraught with challenges. At an altitude of 3840 metres, there is permafrost and usually a strong wind. On the other hand, the sunshine, which is twice as strong at that

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

20,567

20,000

16,757 14,080

15,000

10,000

7,591

5,000

announced capacity thin film

Email any technology breakthroughs (with images) to news@ipvea.com

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

announced capacity crystalline production forecast thin film production forecast crystalline

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

6,723 2,798

877

13,065

2,824

5,189

843

8,375 7,050

6,295

1,326

2,044

2,428

2,949

2007

2008

2009e

2010e

2011e

2012e

877

2,798

6,723

13,065

16,757

20,567

7,591

14,080

21,717

30,569

34,104

36,849

368

843

1,326

2,044

2,428

2,949

2,824

5,189

6,295

7,050

8,375

10,000

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

INDUSTRY CALENDAR

Visit www.ipvea.net/ipvea-news/industry-calendar.html for updates

JULY 2009 25 - 27 28 - 30 28 29

SolWest Renewable Energy Fair 2008 PHOTON’s Photovoltaic Technology Show 2009 Asia PHOTON’s 8th Solar Silicon Conference PHOTON’s 5th PV Investors Conference

John Day, Oregon, USA Shenzhen, China Shenzhen, China Shenzhen, China

www.solwest.org www.photon-expo.com www.photon-expo.com www.photon-expo.com

PHOTON’s 5th PV Production Equipment Conference

Shenzhen, China

www.photon-expo.com

AUGUST 2009

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

NOVEMBER 2009 3 - 5 9 - 11 9 - 13 11 - 12 11 - 13 12 - 15 16 - 17 19 - 20 25 - 27 25 - 27 25 - 28

Conference & exhibition: RENEXPO® Eastern Europe Conference: Solarcon India 19th International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conf. & Ex. 2nd International Congress Bauhaus.Solar 2009 31st Japan Home & Building Show EXPO GreenGenia 2009 3rd European Renewable Energy Policy Conference 10th Forum Solarpraxis PVTech Milan Conference & Exhibition: Egetica Expo Energetica Trade fair: EnerSolar+

Kiev, Ukraine Hyderabad, India Jeju, South Korea Erfurt, Germany Tokyo, Japan Lugano, Switzerland Brussels, Belgium Berlin, Germany Milan, Italy Valencia, Spain Milan, Italy

www.renexpo-kiev.com www.solarconindia.org www.pvsec19.kr www.bauhaus-solar.de www.jma.or.jp/JHBS/en/index.html www.greengenia.com www.erec.org www.solarpraxis.de/conferences www.zeroemission.eu www.expoenergetica.com www.enersolarplus.com

3 10 -12 16 -20

Managing Photovoltaic Projects Conference & Exhibition: 3rd Renewable Energy India 2009 Expo XVIII International Materials Research Congress

Berlin, Germany New Delhi, India Cancún, Mexico

www.renac.de www.renewableenergyindiaexpo.com www.anes.org/ises2000/mil2000.htm

23 - 5 Sep

International Summer University on Energy: Renewable I

Falera, Switzerland

www.helmholtz-berlin.de

2 - 3 7 9 - 12

Conference: Photovoltaics Beyond Conventional Silicon Understanding Photovoltaics: Technical Training for Non-Technicians Energaia International Renewable Energies Exhibition

San Jose, USA Berlin, Germany Montpellier, France

www.idtechex.com/photovoltaicsusa09 www.renac.de www.energaia-expo.com

www.cisbat.epfl.ch www.rainer-timpe.de www.sc-pv.com www.greenpowerconferences.com www.solarconventionlasvegas.com www.cleanenergyexpochina.com www.renac.de www.euromoneyenergy.com www.photovoltaic-conference.com www.euromoneyenergy.com

11 - 14

Trade fair: Global Energy 2009

Bangalore, India

www.global-energy2009.com

SEPTEMBER 2009 2-3 3 - 6 4 - 6 9 - 10 15 - 17 16 - 18 21 21 - 22 21 - 25 21 - 22

Conference: Cisbat 2009 Lausanne, Switzerland Soltec Hameln, Germany Chengdu Solar Energy Fair & Chengdu New Energy Forum Chengdu, China Solar Economics Forum USA Washington, USA Solar Convention Las Vegas 2009 Las Vegas, USA Conference & Exhibition: Clean Energy Expo Singapore 2009 Singapore PV Engineering Training: Off-Grid Applications Berlin, Germany Conference: 11th Renewable Energy Finance Forum London, England 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference & Ex. (EU PVSEC) Hamburg, Germany Conference: 11th Renewable Energy Finance Forum – London London, England

SAVE THE DATE: Annual IPVEA Members meeting. At EU PVSEC, Tuesday, September 22nd, Hamburg, Germany (at 08.30am). Meeting room B3.3. SAVE THE DATE: IPVEA Photovoltaic Production Workshop Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009, Meeting Room B3.3, More details on page 9 29 - 30 29 - 2 30 - 2 Oct

Conference: 2nd Renewable Energy Finance Forum West Conference: Solar09 3rd International Conference on Solar Air-Conditioning

San Francisco, USA Townsville, Australia Palermo, Italy

www.euromoneyenergy.com www.anzses.org www.otti.de

30 - 2 Oct

PV Rome Mediterranean

Rome, Italy

www.zeroemission.eu

OCTOBER 2009 1-2 1-2 5 - 10 7 - 9 8 - 11 11 - 14 12 15 - 16 22 - 25 26 27 - 29 28 - 31

Solarpraxis Conference de la Industria Solar Espana 6th European Conference on Green Power Marketing 2009 XXXIII Semana Nacional de Energía Solar Forum & Exhibition PV Taiwan 2009 Trade fair: R.energy ISES Solar World Congress 2009 PV Engineering Training: Grid Connected Applications Conference: Organic Photovoltaics Summit USA 2009 4th International Exhibition Energy-Photovoltaic ‘09 Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) An Overview Conference & Exhibition: Solar Power 2009 Trade fair: Ecomondo

Madrid, Spain Geneva, Switzerland Guadalajara, México Taipei, Taiwan Istanbul, Turkey Johannesburg, S.A. Berlin, Germany Boston, USA Athens, Greece Berlin, Germany Anaheim, CA, USA Rimini, Italy

www.solarpraxis.de/conferences www.greenpowermarketing.org www.anes.org www.pvtaiwan.com www.renergy.com.tr www.ises.org www.renac.de www.opvtoday.com/usa www.leaderexpo.gr www.renac.de www.solarpowerconference.com www.ecomondo.com

28 - 31

Trade fair: Saienergia

Bologna, Italy

www.saienergia.bolognafiere.it/en

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IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

DECEMBER 2009

JANUARY 2010 14 - 16 18 - 21

Trade fair: Intersolution Conference & Exhibition: World Future Energy Summit 2010

Gent, Belgium Abu Dhabi, UAE

www.intersolution.be www.worldfutureenergysummit.com

20 - 21

6th Annual Clean-Tech Investor Summit

Palm Springs, USA

www.cleantechsummit.com

FEBRUARY 2010 2 - 4 3 - 5 4 - 7 8 - 9 11 - 12 11 - 12 16 - 20

PHOTON’s Photovoltaic Technology Show 2010 USA Trade fair: SOLARCON Korea 2010 Bioenergy Expo Conference: 6th User Forum on Thin-Film Photovoltaics Solarpraxis Conference dell’ Industria Solare Italia 2010 Conferenza dell’Industria Solare (CIS-IT 2010) Trade fair: Solar Energy 2010

San Francisco, USA Seoul, Korea Verona, Italy Würzburg, Germany Rome, Italy Rome, Italy Berlin, Germany

www.photon-expo.com www.semi.org www.bioenergyweb.it www.otti.de www.solarpraxis.de/conferences www.solarpraxis.de www.messen-profair.de

23 - 25

Renewable Energy World North America Conference & Exposition

Austin, Texas USA

www.renewableenergyworld-events.com

3 - 5 Conference & Exhibition: 25th Photovoltaic Symposium 3 - 5 Conference: World Sustainable Energy Days 2010 3 - 5 PV EXPO 2010; 3rd International Photovoltaic Power Generation Expo 11 - 14 Trade fair: Günes Enerjisi’10 17 - 19 Trade fair: ENEREXPO Vietnam 2010

Bad Staffelstein, Germany Wels, Austria Tokyo, Japan Istanbul, Turkey Hanoi, Vietnam

www.otti.de

30 - April 1

Shanghai, China

www.asiasolarexpo.com

MARCH 2010

2010 5th AsiaSolar PV Industry Exhibition & Forum

www.wsed.at www.pvexpo.jp www.gunesenerji.com www.enerexpo.com

APRIL 2010 7 - 9 27 - 29

International Green Energy Expo Korea 2010 PHOTON’s Photovoltaic Technology Show 2010 Europe

Daegu, Korea Stuttgart, Germany

www.energyexpo.co.kr www.photon-expo.com

29 - 30

5th European PV-Hybrid & Mini-Grid Conference

Tarragona/Barcelona

www.otti.de

SNEC (2010) PV Power Expo Conference: PV America

Shanghai, China Tampa, Florida, USA

www.snec.org.cn events.jspargo.com/seia09/public/enter.aspx

MAY 2010 5 - 7 24 - 26

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION 05

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

50 56

44 57

66 68

67a 73

IPVEA MEMBERS - HALL 5 3S Swiss Solar Systems AG ACI-ecotec GmbH & CO. KG DEK Solar GmbH dr. schwab GmbH E+H Metrology GmbH EBARA Precision Machinery Ferrotec Corporation GmbH GfE Metalle und Materialien GmbH Hermann Otto GmbH Honeywell Specialty Materials Jonas & Redmann Photovoltaics Production Solutions GmbH Innolas GmbH M+W Zander FE GmbH Manz Automation AG Meier Solar Solutions GmbH Meyer Burger Technology AG Newport Spectra-Physics GmbH Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum GmbH Oerlikon Solar Ltd., Trubbach OTB Solar Pall GmbH Pasan SA Reis GmbH & Co. KG RENA GmbH Roth & Rau AG Schiller Automation GmbH PAGE 18

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

B5 / 40 B5 / 15 B5 / 73 B5 / 44 B5 / 75 B5 / 30 B5 / 4 B5 / 2 B5 / 50 B5 / 5 B5 / 39 B5 / 38 B5 / 66 B5 / 31 B5 / 34 B5 / 56 B5 / 17 B5 / 26 B5 / 20 B5 / 14 B5 / 48 B5 / 40 B5 / 34 B5 / 67a B5 / 32 B5 / 41

Semilab Co. Ltd. B5 / 60 Singulus Technologies AG B5 / 46 Soleras Ltd. B5 / 28 Somont GmbH B5 / 40 Spire Corporation B5 / 51 STANGL Semiconductor Equipment AG B5 / 46 Stein Automation GmbH & Co. KG B5 / 62 Synova S.A. B5 / 57 teamtechnik GmbH B5 / 21 VITRONIC Dr.-Ing. Stein B5 / 68 VON ARDENNE Anlagentechnik GmbH B5 / 16 IPVEA MEMBERS - HALLS B2G, B3U, B4G, B6, B7 ABB Automation GmbH B7 / 79 Anwell Solar Technologies Ltd B3U / 13 Bekaert Advanced Coatings NV B2G / 42 Dr. Schenk GmbH B6 / 6 GEROLD GmbH & Co. KG B4G / 66 Heateflex Corporation B4G / 3 KITEC microelectric technologie GmbH B2G / 50 Komax Solar B6 / 54 LPKF SolarQuipment GmbH B4G / 73 Robert B端rkle GmbH B3U / 6 Rofin Baasel Lasertech B4G / 59 Targray Technology International B6 / 21 Trumpf Laser GmbH & Co. B4G / 21 Veeco Instruments, Inc. B2G / 79 For up-to-date information please visit www.photovoltaic-conference.com

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

FORGING AHEAD

The bids were narrowed to five by an international panel of independent experts, and in October 2007 the Carbon Trust chose Friend’s consortium, comprising Cambridge University and local company The Technology Partnership (TTP), as the preferred bidder to deliver the Advanced PV Accelerator. Ultimately, the project must result in solar cells capable of delivering more than a gigawatt of electricity-generating capacity and savings of more than 1 million tonnes of CO2 a year. ‘It was clear the technology could have a broad range of OPV applications. The panel was also convinced the technology had a strong chance of resulting in a very low-cost solar cell. We also wanted to reassure ourselves that the work is distinctive in the UK – the IP is all here,’ adds Trezona.

AS RECESSION BITES UK MANUFACTURING, LOW-COST ORGANIC SOLAR CELLS SHINE WITH POTENTIAL

According to Friend: ‘The challenge ultimately with solar cells is that they have to be cheap. If they’re not cheap to make then they probably don’t save much carbon. That’s the problem with silicon. If you look at what might be the cheapest way of producing them, to make solar cells using relatively low temperature processes on flexible substrates would appear to be the best we can do. So it’s important to go there. The problem is that what might be ultimately needed isn’t necessarily what is attractive in the market place in the near term.’ But this is changing. By 2016 the UK government wants all new build houses and apartments to be carbon neutral, under the Code for Sustainable Homes, which could stimulate demand for roofs integrated with lightweight, low-cost solar panels that supply a portion of each household’s electricity needs.

market based on using less carbon is emerging, following industrialised countries’ pledges under the Kyoto Protocol to cut greenhouse gas emissions, a significant cause of global warming. In Europe, binding targets for 2020 aim to cut these emissions by 20% and ensure 20% of the continent’s energy mix consists of renewable sources. A 2007 paper published on the EU portal, Europa, titled Towards a Low Carbon Future: European Strategic Energy Technology Plan, states new generations of technologies, that are both low-carbon and costeffective, have to be developed to reach these goals.

In the UK, projects — in Wales and in Cambridge, southern England — are developing low-cost organic photovoltaics (OPVs) for new markets, including construction. In 2001 the UK government set up a private enterprise with the sole aim of funding projects and early stage research that will eventually yield profitable renewable energy systems and innovations – what it calls low carbon technologies – that will reduce greenhouse emissions. The Carbon Trust is grant-funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and Invest Northern Ireland. Initially the agency operated as a consultancy and invested in lots of small applied research projects developing low carbon technologies.

PAGE 20

However, according to Dr Robert Trezona, head of R&D, it was decided a more proactive approach was needed. ‘Through our existing knowledge we identified several interesting R&D areas that had the potential to be commercial technologies in future with a big part to play in transforming the UK into a low carbon economy. OPVs was one and became the test case for our directed research initiatives. The project, called the Advanced PV Accelerator, was announced in early 2007. Since then the Carbon Trust has also launched separate ‘accelerators’ for bioenergy and for fuel cells. According to Trezona: ‘The idea is that R&D funded under these accelerators progresses to the point where it becomes of commercial interest to companies, much more quickly than if we left it to the market.’

The accelerator will happen in two phases. The first started in October 2008 and will receive between £1.5–2 million of the total £5 million public funds set aside for the project. The money will fund R&D activity by a team drawn from in and around Friend’s group at the Cavendish Laboratory and local companies.

Polymer potential Trezona’s colleagues were already aware that low-cost sources of solar energy could be developed from polymer semiconductors, based on research by professors Richard Friend and Henning Sirringhaus at Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory. According to Friend: ‘I’d been contemplating trying to do something in solar cells for a long time. The challenge is being able to see that you can get somewhere which is interesting enough in terms of the end product without needing some sort of miracle in science to get there.’

transistors, displays and lighting markets was also noted. However, to ensure that the £5 million (E5.4) million of public money for the projects would fund a technology with the best chance of commercial success, the Advanced PV Accelerator ran as an open competition, following a workshop in February 2007. ‘We didn’t stipulate what the PV technology had to be’, says Trezona.

Friend’s and Sirringhaus’s track record in founding two home-grown start-ups – Plastic Logic and Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) – to commercialise polymer semiconductors in

Fifteen bids were submitted, describing different ideas, approaches and technologies for making flexible, light, low-cost organic solar cells. One consortium included Imperial College, which, after Cambridge University, has carried out the most extensive academic research into plastic electronic materials synthesis in the UK. Another included the steel maker Corus which has long term interests in producing OPVs for the construction industry.

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

‘The competencies that we want to achieve are those we wouldn’t merely be able to within university as part of research, such as manufacturing and process. Aspects that wouldn’t naturally fit within a physics department are things that we want to take forward’, says Friend. The second stage could start within 18 months depending on the R&D progress.

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

government, Corus has converted one of its old disused buildings in Shotton, north Wales, into a factory. The plant will make solar cells on steel for the construction industry, which Rod Rice, business development manager, PVs, at the subsidiary Corus Colours, believes has strong long-term prospects, post-recession: ‘In the UK alone there is an enormous area of roof space that could be functionalised with solar cells if we are to meet various renewable energy and lower carbon emission obligations.’ The project, which started in May 2008, uses dye solar cell technology from Dyesol. The Australian cleantech firm has a license to commercialise professor Michael Graetzel’s work in solar cells at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Dye, or Graetzel, cells are semiconductors made from nanoparticles of titanium dioxide coated in a thin dye. These solar cells can withstand the rigours of construction. They can be engineered into flexible sheets and are mechanically robust. The project aims to produce solar cells on steel for select clients in 2010 and for product testing to happen by mid-2009. ‘We partnered with Dyesol because the technology is closer to market than anything else in this field’, Rice claims. The refurbished Shotton factory will house a line. ‘It will include large elements of R2R production, known to Corus Colours through its coating business, but lots of new steps too.’ At full capacity the line will be able to make millions of square metres of solar cells on steel a year. Apart from challenges in scaling up the dye cell technology, Corus will also need to re-examine its existing supply chain to accommodate the solar cells. ‘In a traditional supply chain we sell our coated steel to a profiler, or panel maker. They will make the steel into profiled sheets, for use as roof tiles or cladding panels. These are sold to a building contractor, engaged in a project by a client or architect. Solar is a bit more complex. For instance, how are the solar panels going to be connected to the electricity supply in the building?’ Rice and his team are looking at the silicon PV industry for some answers and he will also be monitoring the progress of Dyesol’s other commercialisation partners.

By the end of the second stage of the initiative a prototype line will be built for making small volumes of solar cells which will be a low process temperature R2R manufacturing technology.

Solar cells on steel Following its bid for funding under the Carbon Trust’s Advanced PV Accelerator, Corus, part of global steelmaker Tata, went on to pursue an alternative strategy to accelerate the production and market for low-cost solar cells. With a £10 million investment, which includes a substantial portion from the Welsh

Plastic Electronics is the only printed magazine covering business and marketing strategies for organic and printed electronics. The magazine is published six times a year by IntertechPira. To enquire about a subscription email alexander.smith@pira-international.com julian.bradshaw@pira-international.com http://www.plusplasticelectronics.com/

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

OcTOBeR 27-29

ANAHeim cALiFORNiA

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INSIDE IPVEA

NORTH AmeRicA’s

LARgesT B2B sOLAR

eveNT

IPVEA PARTNERS WITH SEPA & SEIA ON SOLAR POWER INTERNATIONAL

Approximately 650 companies will exhibit in Anaheim, CA, at SPI 2009, including cell and module manufacturers, inverter and other component manufacturers, material and equipment manufacturers, installers, integrators, and investors.

IPVEA has joined forces with Solar Power International 2009, which is scheduled for October 27-29, 2009 in Anaheim, California, the leading US trade show of its kind, and will help plan the 2010 event.

SEPA, SEIA originally planned to hold the 6th annual SPI in San Jose, California. However, due to the unprecedented growth and anticipated increase in demand due to the extension of the federal investment tax credit in the U.S., a larger venue was required to meet the needs of the event exhibitors and attendees

Solar Power International (SPI), previously called Solar Power Conference and Expo, was created in 2004 when the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) joined together in partnership to fill an obvious void: the US was missing a business-to-business solar conference and expo. The 2009 sixth annual event, for which IPVEA will serve as a Platinum Non Profit Partner, will feature keynote addresses, 200-plus speakers, more than 65 breakout sessions and dozens of optional workshops. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke at the 2008 SPI. California Governor Schwarzenegger (aka “The Terminator”) in the mini photo speaking at Solar Power International 2008.

Solar Power International 2010 will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on October 12-14, 2010. SPI attracts a wide range of participants both from inside and outside the solar industry. Forty percent of registered attendees hold CEO, president or other executive management positions, while 79 percent of registered attendees recommend or make final decisions about their company’s purchase of products. The attendees come from all segments of the solar value chain including manufacturers, integrators and installers, large and small customers, architects and builders, and policymakers. www.SolarPowerInternational.com

There will be two key areas of collaboration between IPVEA and SPI. “Solar Power International is the definitive event for global solar companies doing business in North America. It is our top priority to provide a comprehensive yet accessible program, which serves the needs of an increasingly diverse audience,” said Julia Hamm, conference chair and executive director of SEPA. “As always, proceeds from Solar Power International are used by SEPA and SEIA to support their year round activities to strengthen the U.S. solar market, differentiating it further from many other events.” “The event’s growth has mirrored that of the solar energy industry,” said Rhone Resch, president of SEIA. “Despite a challenging economic climate, we have gained significant momentum in the U.S., especially with the recent eightyear extension of the solar investment tax credit. Also, hopes are that a new administration with a commitment to renewable energy and the environment will enact policies that stimulate domestic solar manufacturing and installation, creating hundreds of thousands of permanent green jobs while increasing our energy independence and security.”

IPVEA TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE: FIRST SURVEY AIMS TO BUILD INDUSTRY ‘TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP’ The IPVEA Technology Committee is in the process of receiving responses to its first survey, querying association members, academic researchers and non-IPVEA member companies working in solar about their developmental activities.

IPVEA will participate on the 2010 SPI Planning Committee, a group of 80 industry experts, which show management works with each year to determine conference session topics during the months of January through April. The group meets once in person in January to review the previous year’s content and brainstorm about ideas for the following year, with follow-up conference calls to finalise session topics. SPI aims to provide a single event where industry could come together with potential customers, policymakers, investors, and other parties necessary for continued rapid growth. It didn’t take long for the event to establish itself as the premiere solar event in the US, growing from 1,100 attendees to over 22,500 in just five years.

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IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

Bill Duncan

“One of the missions of IPVEA and the committee is to share information and connect people,” explains committee chairman Bill Duncan, who works as director of product management at Komax Systems York (PA, USA). The answers to the questionnaire, which has been emailed in two waves, “will help us understand globally who’s doing what and will help direct companies to find others engaged in similar technology development” Duncan adds.

The first wave of questionnaires went out the second week of May, and the second round was distributed the fourth week of May, making the total number surveyed almost 400 organizations. Based on the responses, the Committee will determine the best format for publication of the data.

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INTERNATIONAL PHOTOVOLTAIC EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATION

ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

INSIDE IPVEA The Committee is cognizant that some activities companies are working on are considered internally to be proprietary. Respondents may choose to not divulge details about forthcoming processes or products. “We’ve always been sensitive to confidentiality from day one,” he adds. Any data collected will not be used for any individual member company benefit. Results will be released to IPVEA members in aggregate or as general trends that might emerge.

“We believe that ultimately this forum for sharing can foster partnerships. For example, partnerships can come in the form of research groups locating funding or manufacturers finding specific technology development help.” “We’re seeing a lot of articles [in the trade press] about UMG cells (upgraded metallurgical silicon). Many OEMs are wondering if UMG could become the de facto standard instead of standard Siemens process silicon, and whether people are going to make the shift. Initially this looked to be the case, however, silicon prices are dropping as the supply increases, therefore making a shift to UMG is less beneficial,” Duncan observes, of the constantly changing market dynamics. IPVEA believes a “technological roadmap” will emerge once this data is examined, but Duncan notes that the organization is not in business to make forecasts, and will leave such tasks to the experienced R&D think tanks already tracking the PV marketplace. Duncan works at Komax Systems York, a division focused on crystalline PV. Komax has a separate division focused on thin film products. The IPVEA Technology Committee consists of representatives from six member companies, and three more firms recently indicated interest in joining Duncan’s group. (Interested parties may contact him at billduncan@ipvea.com). “We are always looking for more committee membership from a broad spectrum of the industry.” One of the committee’s tasks is to identify relevant industry events. “We’re being careful that we don’t compete with the established seminars and trade shows,” Duncan notes. If a particular topic arises from the research that is not being dealt with elsewhere, it’s possible “We’ll organize a forum ourselves,” he adds.

IPVEA MEMBER SURVEY: WE’RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK

How do you rate the IPVEA website?

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at ekus@ipvea.com Bryan Ekus, Managing Director International Photovoltaics Equipment Association

22 (76%)

Good

3 (11%)

Fair

Poor 0

Overall, how satisfied are you with our organization?

Dissatisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

12 (41%)

17 (59%)

Satisfied

Extremely satisfied 0

How do you rate the content of the IPVEA newsletter?

1 (4%)

Excellent

3 (11%)

Poor 5

The association will pursue its long term-goals in a number of ways, including supporting events that provide the best opportunities for member companies with booth discounts and association branding/sponsorship. Part of this will be to reduce the number of key trade shows for members in particular and the industry in general.

2 (7%)

EUROPE ADDRESS: IPVEA, International Photovoltaic Equipment Association  P.O. Box 1610, D-63406 Hanau, Germany Mobile: +1 49 1577 682 7926

3 (10%)

US ADDRESS:

Poor

Disclaimer: IPVEA International Photovoltaic Equipment Association uses its best efforts to ensure that all the information in this newsletter and on its website is kept up-to-date. Any warranty to the correctness and actuality cannot be assumed. IPVEA International Photovoltaic Equipment Association reserves the right to make changes or additions to the information made available at any time without notice.  Copyright: The content of the IPVEA International Photovoltaic Equipment Association website is protected by copyright. No information, data, texts, parts of texts or images may be copied or used in any way without the prior permission of IPVEA International Photovoltaic Equipment Association.

IPVEA, International Photovoltaic Equipment Association  P.O. Box 771507, Orlando, Florida 32877, USA Tel: +1 407 856 9100 Fax: +1 407 856 9500 Mobile: +1 407 733 1901

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IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

COMPANY NAME PRODUCT NAME The first sentence provides an introduction to what the product is PROBLEM stating what manufacturing quagmire prompted its development (about two sentences) SOLUTION stating how the product meets solving the problem and describe the piece of equipment’s features (about two or three sentences) APPLICATIONS stating what manufacturing situation or process might the product be used CONTACT company website URL Submissions that do no adhere to these guidelines may not be used.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE IPVEA NEWSLETTER Please let us know of your colleagues who you would like to receive the IPVEA newsletter. Email their names, titles, company name, phone number and email addresses to: news@ipvea.com Indicate preferred method of distribution: Emailed PDF or Physically printed

ADVISORY BOARD

24 (83%)

Good

Fair

Please also use the following standardized format:

Mr. Peter Pauli, Meyer Burger Mr. Antonio Schmidt, Manz Automation Mr. Ed Hurley, Spire Corp Mr. Russell Yau, Anwell Precision Technology Managing Director: Bryan Ekus ekus@IPVEA.com

How do you rate the design of the IPVEA newsletter?

Excellent

To have your company’s product considered for the next issue of the quarterly IPVEA newsletter, please email no more than 250 words about your newly debuted piece of equipment and high-resolution images (JPEG or TIFF file preferred, separately) to news@ipvea.com

President: Hans-Juergen Stangl, (Stangl Semiconductor) Vice President: Albert Vontz (Kuka Systems) Vice President: Sven Jarby (Oerlikon) Treasurer: Steffen Guenther (Reis Robotics) Assistant Treasurer: Richard Grundmüller (InnoLas GmbH) Secretary: Andreas Schöni (3S Swiss Solar Systems) Board Member: Manfred Schroeder (Ebara Precision Machinery) Board Member: Stefan Schiller (Schiller Automation)

24 (86%)

Founded in May 2008, the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA) is an independent, non-profit organization of manufacturers and suppliers of photovoltaic (PV) fabrication equipment and related raw materials used in PV ingot, wafer, cell (crystalline and thin-film), and panel manufacturing. The association’s member companies represent the wide spectrum of equipment and materials including that related to crystal growth, diffusion furnaces, glavanics, laminators, laser systems, materials handling, metallization, printing, process integration, solar simulators, substrate handling, testing, vacuum systems, waste gas abatement, wet chemical systems, and related materials and professional services.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Good

Fair

HOW TO GET YOUR COMPANY’S PRODUCT FEATURED

The overall mission of the association is to provide members with a forum for information, discussion and exchange of ideas, as well as ways to develop business opportunities and strategic partnerships. The association is the unified voice of the manufacturing segment of the PV industry. As such, the association evaluates and recommends exhibitions, conferences, sales channels and methods of communications that can be effective for its member companies.

Extremely dissatisfied

The recent IPVEA survey of members clearly suggests that the Association and its communications products are meeting needs, and that the respondents are generally happy with our relatively new trade group. Many interesting ideas also came out of the survey, including which trade shows IPVEA should support in 2010. For those results indicating specific events that members feel should be supported, please log onto the “Members Only” section of the website at www.ipvea.com

1 (3%)

Excellent

ABOUT IPVEA

IPVEA NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 4 - SUMMER 2009

Keep up to date with the all the latest industry news and information and get more exposure for your business: www.ipvea.com PAGE 25

“striving for efficiency”

IPVEA

International Photovoltaic Equipment Association

The association’s member companies represent the wide spectrum of equipment and materials including that related to crystal growth, diffusion furnaces,glavanics,laminators,laser systems,materials handling,metallization, printing, process integration, solar simulators, substrate handling, testing, thin film solar panels, vacuum systems, waste gas abatement, wet chemical systems, and related materials and professional services. To apply for membership, or find out more about IPVEA please visit