Eneos, Sanyo Form Solar Cell JV, See 1GW Production in 2015
Tetsuo Nozawa, Nikkei Electronics, Jan 26, 2009
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20090126/164568/
Nippon Oil Corp (Eneos) and Sanyo Electric Co Ltd established Sanyo Eneos Solar Co Ltd, a joint company for producing amorphous Si thin-film solar cells and marketing power generation systems, Jan 23, 2009. The investment ratio is 50:50. Panasonic Corp, which became the parent company of Sanyo, has not made any direct investment at this point. For the joint company, Sanyo will take charge of the development of manufacturing technologies for thin-film solar cells as well as the production of cells and modules. And Eneos will be responsible for the construction of large-scale power generation systems using the modules as well as the distribution and sale of the products. Eneos will also provide material technologies for gases (eg, hydrogen gas) required in the cell production, the company said.
“The establishment of the new company is part of our efforts to become a comprehensive energy provider based on solar cells, fuel cells and rechargeable batteries, which are like the ‘three musketeers of batteries,'” Eneos President Shinji Nishio said.
Sanyo Eneos Solar targets at a production scale of 80MW per year with an energy conversion efficiency of 10% on a trial basis in fiscal 2010. The company plans to start a full-scale mass-production with an annual production of 1GW and a conversion efficiency of 12% or higher in fiscal 2015 and aims at 2GW/year production in fiscal 2020. Thus far, Sanyo has achieved an energy conversion efficiency of 10% by using a 90 x 90cm-class module based on the tandem technology that utilizes amorphous Si and amorphous SiGe.
“From now on, we can continue to improve the efficiency through tandem technology plus a little something else,” said Michito Igarashi, president of Sanyo Eneos Solar and general manager at the Business Development Office of Sanyo Semiconductor Co Ltd.
Until now, Sanyo promoted the “HIT Solar Cell,” which has high energy conversion efficiency and is targeted for use on the roofs of single-family housing, etc. Meanwhile, the new company will focus on the production of thin-film solar cells, which are intended mainly for large-scale generation systems used in, for example, deserts. Therefore, competition between the two companies can be avoided, Sanyo said.
The power generation systems are expected to be installed mainly in the Middle East. “At first, the power generation systems will be manufactured in Gifu Prefecture in Japan, where we have a research base for thin-film solar cells,” said Seiichiro Sano, president of Sanyo. “But we may build a full-scale mass production plant somewhere close to the Middle East or other supply destinations.”
“No concerns” about depression or slow start Many believe that a major shakeout of manufacturers and a price drop are unavoidable in the 2009 solar cell market as a result of a downturn in the market due to the business depression and the decline in oil prices accompanied by the significant oversupply.
In addition, Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd of China announced January 14, 2009, that it had established a 1GW/year production system. And Sharp Corp is planning to boost its solar cell production to 1GW/year until April 2010. Under such circumstances, the new company’s plan, targeting 1GW/year in 2015, may appear to be getting off to quite a slow start.
However, at the press conference, Sano dismissed these concerns and claimed that the company could make up for the slow start through superior technology and reliability. “The solar cell business is a long-term project with its focus on 2020 or even 2050,” he said. “We are not at all concerned about a short-term depression. For manufacturers that have the lead in the thin-film solar cell production (by purchasing the production equipment in whole), the conversion efficiency will probably peak at about 7%.” “In contrast, we will promote the research and development concurrently with the production and will constantly improve our technologies to achieve an efficiency of 10%, 12% and higher,” he said.