Sunfilm Opens New Solar Frontiers
MUNICH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Good Energies and NorSun have established Sunfilm AG to manufacture the
world’s first 5.7m2
tandem thin film photovoltaic modules on glass substrates on a
production line supplied by Applied Materials, Inc.
“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,” says Dr. Sven
Hansen, Good Energies’ Chief Investment
Officer.
Applied’s production line will feature new
tandem cell technology—an innovative
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 ultra-large 5.7m2
substrates, Sunfilm expects to substantially reduce the cost of solar
panel manufacturing.
“With this initiative we introduce second
generation solar energy technology,” said Dr.
Alf Bjørseth, founder and board member of
NorSun. “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.”
“We are excited to work with
Sunfilm, Good Energies and NorSun, whose people are among the most
influential and respected leaders in the solar business,”
said Dr. Mark Pinto, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Applied’s
New Business and New Products Group. “The
Good Energies and NorSun teams have proven that they can shape the
industry – and we look forward to working
with them to deliver leading-edge, cost-efficient PV module technology.”
Sunfilm AG is currently designing the building and facilities for its
first PV line and will start construction work in Q2/2007 on its local
site. This project will be supported with grants from the State of
Saxony and is expected to employ about 180 people when the line is fully
operational in 2008/2009.
Sunfilm’s 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. This is
approximately three times the capacity of conventional thin film solar
facilities.
“Our thin film production line will
provide Sunfilm with the first combination of higher-efficiency tandem
technology and the compelling cost-advantage of ultra-large scale
panels. We’ve seen similar cost benefits in
the flat panel display industry as our customers have transitioned to
larger-area substrates,” added Dr. Pinto.
Sunfilm
Sunfilm AG is a newly established operating company located
in Grossröhrsdorf Saxony/Germany. www.sunfilmsolar.com.
Good Energies
Good Energies is a member of the COFRA group and one of the largest
investors in the renewable energy industry. Its globally invested
portfolio has a market capitalisation of over USD 3 billion. Good
Energies contributes to the challenge of sustainable energy transition
through its investments in leading solar photovoltaic companies, wind
energy developers and other renewable energy technologies. Its policy
aims to provide long-term strategic investments in partnership with
companies developing the technologies of the future. www.goodenergies.com.
NorSun
NorSun AS was established in December 2005 by Scatec AS, that serves as
the point of origin for new business ideas within renewable energy and
advanced materials. Scatec AS is still the largest owner in NorSun. The
purpose of NorSun is to produce the lowest cost solar power components
for the international solar energy market. www.norsuncorp.no
Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) is the global leader in Nanomanufacturing
Technology™ solutions with a broad portfolio
of innovative equipment, service and software products for the
fabrication of semiconductor chips, flat panels, solar photovoltaic
cells, flexible electronics and energy efficient glass. www.appliedmaterials.com
