Thin Film Si Solar Cells to Be Produced in India
Motonobu Kawai, Nikkei Electronics, Feb 5, 2008
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20080205/146965/
Applied Materials’ “SunFab” glass-to-module total production line for thin film solar modules. Moser Baer India Ltd of India has its optical disc and solar cell manufacturing center in Greater Noida on the outskirts of New Deli. Other companies including LG Electronics of Korea and Franco-Italian STMicroelectronics also have their manufacturing facilities around it. Moser Baer’s manufacturing center is currently drawing interest from solar cell-related manufacturers across the world.
Moser Baer’s subsidiary Moser Baer Photo Voltaic Ltd is currently advancing preparation to manufacture a new thin film Si solar module. This solar module’s distinctive feature is the adoption of a huge glass substrate that measures 2.2 x 2.6m. Its manufacturing equipment is a glass-to-module total production line dubbed “SunFab,” which Applied Materials Inc (AMAT) is promoting.
Moser Baer will be the first external company that AMAT has ever supplied its SunFab to. The new manufacturing center’s success or failure is being closely watched not only by global solar cell-related manufacturers, but also by firms that are considering entering the market. That is because the glass-to-module production line lowers hurdles to entering the market, while the large substrate also slashes solar cell manufacturing cost.
If Moser Baer succeeds in the production, it will result in major changes in the relationships between solar cell manufacturers. When Nikkei Microdevices visited Moser Baer’s manufacturing center at the end of January 2008, they were in the midst of installing the equipment and preparing for operations. About 100 engineers were being assigned from AMAT, which supplies a total package of the production line, Moser Baer said. We also saw engineers of Moser Baer and AMAT exchanging opinions on site.
Looking over the production line, we found the facility crammed with various device cases and components. The arrangement of the equipment was exactly as drawn in the SunFab basic concept that AMAT released. Moser Baer had almost completed the installation of roughly one-half to two-thirds of the equipment at that time.
Particularly conspicuous was the huge autoclave, in addition to the PECVD equipment. The company had already set up and powered the PECVD equipment, which holds the key to the SunFab’s success or failure. It was planning to test the glass substrate conveyor in several days, Moser Baer said.