Ulvac to mass produce Thin-film Solar Cell Manufacturing Systems
Asia Pulse, November 19, 2007
Source: News from LexisNexis /Semiconductor International
http://www.semiconductor.net/articleXml/LN703468440.html
Ulvac Inc. (www.ulvac.com) is gearing up to mass produce manufacturing equipment for thin-film solar cells. The company spent 3 billion yen ($27US.2 million) to build a dedicated production line for the manufacturing equipment in its main plant in Kanagawa Prefecture. Installation was completed in September. At present, mass production of solar cells is being tested and production quality is being confirmed.
The equipment uses glass substrates of 1.1 x 1.4 meters from which solar cells capable of generating 100 watts of electricity can be produced. Ulvac has already clinched orders for two Taiwanese solar cell producers, and two sets of integrated manufacturing systems have also been ordered by a Chinese solar cell producer.
Ulvac plans to turn out 20 sets in the year ending June 2012 and aims to boost sales to 100 billion yen. Although less efficient than conventional solar cells, thin-film solar cells are in demand because they use less silicon and thus are cheaper to produce.