German solar venture formed

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 4/10/2007

Renewable energy investor Good Energies and mono crystalline ingot and wafer supplier to the solar industry NorSun recently established Sunfilm AG to manufacture what they say is the world’s first 5.7-square-meter tandem thin film photovoltaic modules on glass substrates on a production line of equipment from capital equipment giant Applied Materials Inc.

The newly established operating company is located in Grossröhrsdorf Saxony, Germany.

Dr. Sven Hansen, Good Energies’ chief investment officer explained in a statement, “Sunfilm opens new frontiers; it goes beyond what today’s industry is projecting - in size and in performance - and could change the way solar energy is viewed. We believe that solar energy is of paramount importance for our energy future. However, we need to stay focused on bringing the cost down. This venture aims at grid parity. Applied Materials’ technological leadership is the key element for us in this project.”

The Applied production line will contain new tandem cell technology, which is a dual-junction approach that combines an amorphous silicon top film to absorb short wavelengths of light with a microcrystalline silicon bottom layer to absorb longer wavelengths.

These tandem cells are expected to deliver significantly higher energy conversion efficiencies at a cost per watt that is comparable to that of single junction technologies. By coupling tandem technology with these ultra-large substrates, Sunfilm said it expects to substantially reduce the cost of solar panel manufacturing.

Dr. Alf Bjørseth, founder and board member of NorSun noted, “With this initiative we introduce second generation solar energy technology. Solar panels based on this tandem cell technology will provide clients with electricity at a very competitive price and have countless areas of application. This new technology will strongly support the continued growth of the solar energy market.”

Sunfilm said it is currently designing the building and facilities for its first PV line with construction to begin in Q2. This project is to be supported with grants from the State of Saxony and is expected to employ approximately 180 people when the line is fully operational in 2008 or 2009.

Further, Sunfilm noted that its contract with Applied is for a fully-integrated equipment line for an ultra-large panel tandem module factory with a nominal rated capacity of 60 megawatts per year -- approximately three times the capacity of conventional thin film solar facilities.