Space Travel News  
Oerlikon Solar Brings Micromorph To Mass Production

-
by Staff Writers
Trubbach Switzerland (SPX) Dec 08, 2008
Oerlikon Solar has announced that Inventux Technologies AG is now the world's first manufacturer to implement Oerlikon's micromorph technology for the mass-production of thin-film silicon solar modules.

Oerlikon and Inventux ramped up the Berlin facility, which was officially opened by Major Klaus Wowereit, in just seven months. Oerlikon's tandem-junction micromorph process will enable Inventux to produce up to 33 MWp of highly efficient, cost-effective thin-film silicon PV solar modules per year.

"We are extremely happy to have reached this significant breakthrough for the thin-film PV industry with our "best-in-class' partner Oerlikon Solar," said Volko Loewenstein, chairman of Inventux.

"This experience gives us a great deal of confidence in our plans to expand our micromorph manufacturing capacity in the near future."

Oerlikon Solar's micromorph process 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 Inventux and other manufacturers to produce cost-effective thin-film silicon solar modules.

"The opening of the Inventux production site is another example of the world-class support and knowledge Oerlikon Solar can offer to all of its customers," said Jeanine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar.

"We are dedicated to helping make solar an economically viable alternative energy option, and the joined effort between Oerlikon and Inventux to quickly ramp up the world's first micromorph fab in Berlin illustrates this commitment."

Another important feature of Oerlikon's micromorph cell structure is its compatibility in the production facilities, which enables a modular upgrade path from amorphous to higher module efficiencies. This patented, proprietary technology and the option to upgrade an a-Si production line to a micromorph fab facilities an efficient, cost-effective process for upgrading production capabilities.

"We strongly believe that Oerlikon Solar is the most experienced and qualified partner when it comes to micromorph production solutions," said Roland Sillmann, CTO of Inventux.

"The Oerlikon Solar equipment, their module and process know-how combined with the expertise of our staff represents an ideal basis for Inventux to establish our highly cost-competitive PV module production line."

This is just one more milestone in Oerlikon Solar's mission to make Solar Power economically viable.

Related Links
Oerlikon Solar
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Gigawatt-Scale PV Power Project Initiated In Jordan
Amman, Jordan (SPX) Dec 08, 2008
The Al-Husseini Group and Amelio Solar have announced a joint venture to bring large-scale photovoltaic energy production capacity to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in cooperation with the government and the national utility.







  • Students participate in rocketry challenge
  • Rocket Motor Test Helps NASA's Shuttle And Ares I
  • NASA's New Ares Rocket Engine Passes Review
  • NASA to test Orion launch abort system

  • Arianespace To Launch ViaSat-1
  • Russia To Launch Two Telecoms Satellites In February 2009
  • Russia Launches New Space Freighter To ISS
  • South Korea To Launch Maritime Weather Satellite Next Year

  • NASA Assigns Astronaut Crews For Future Space Shuttle Missions
  • Space shuttle Endeavour lands safely in California
  • NASA Adds Seven To ISS In Flawless Launch And Docking
  • Weather good for Friday shuttle launch: NASA

  • A Station Celebration
  • NASA Signs Modification To Contract With Russian Space Agency
  • New Russian Space Freighter Docks With World Orbital Station
  • Endeavour astronauts finish fourth and last spacewalk

  • Iran To Send Animals Into Space
  • Solving The Problems Of Garbage In Space
  • Kazakhstan To Fund ISS Flight For Homegrown Astronaut
  • Space Researchers Developing Tool To Help Disoriented Pilots

  • China's Future Astronauts Will Be Scientists
  • China Launches Remote Sensing Satellite
  • Damaged Nigerian satellite can't be recovered: officials
  • China Puts Two Satellites Into Orbit

  • Rescue Robot Exercise Brings Together Robots, Developers, First Responders
  • Honda unveils leg assist machine for elderly
  • Germany's CESAR Crowned King Of Rovers In ESA's Robotics Challenge
  • Cliffbot Goes Climbing

  • NASA lands a cosmic first with "tweets" from Mars
  • ESA Presents European Participants In Mars500 Isolation Study
  • NASA delays Mars mission until 2011
  • Simulating Mars On Earth

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement