Oerlikon: Over half of equipment orders in 2008 to support micromorph tandem technology
Nuying Huang, Taipei; Esther Lam
Source: DIGITIMES, 23 November 2007
http://www.digitimes.com/bits_chips/a20071123PD209.html
Oerlikon is making further progress in its micromorph tandem technology and expects over half of the orders it receives in 2008 will be for solar cell production equipment supporting the technology, which will offer a power conversion rate of 10%, according to the company.
Oerlikon introduced its micromorph tandem technology in early September and claimed that it can achieve efficiencies of 10% and higher in the near future. By combining two silicon materials, amorph and microcrystalline (µc-Si), both visible sunlight and the near infrared spectrum can be absorbed and converted, resulting in a boost in the power efficiency rate by 50% over traditional amorphous (a-Si) single cells.
Company executives indicated that its first customer has placed orders for equipment supporting this new technology with delivery to be completed in the second quarter of 2008 and production slated to begin in the third quarter. The customer is from Europe, the executives added.
Oerlikon anticipates that the power conversion rate offered by the technology will be 8.5% in 2008 and will rise further to 9.7% in 2009. Industry players in Taiwan’s solar cell industry noted that the power conversion rate of 6-6.5% guaranteed by thin-film solar cell equipment makers can hardly compare with that of crystalline-based solar cells, and so look forward towards the penetration of micromorph tandem technology-supported equipment.
Given that the company strongly believes that power conversion rate enhancement is an urgent task for all thin-film solar cell industry players, the executives noted that almost all customers who approached the company were looking for equipment that support the new micromorph tandem technology. They anticipate that orders for the equipment will account for half of total equipment orders in 2008 accordingly.
In an attempt to help guarantee smooth volume production by customers, Oerlikon confirmed recent speculation that the company would establish a laboratory in Asia. The company executives said Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore are all potential locations. Oerlikon said it also remains open to any equipment/parts/materials subcontracting.
On a separate note, Oerlikon said its thin-film solar cell equipment is mostly fabricated at a fifth-generation (5G) line. As the company believes power efficiency is more critical than size, the company has no plan to migrate to a more advanced generation line in near future.