EANS-News: centrotherm photovoltaics reports further progress with centaurus
technology: successes with customer projects and in further development
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Company Information
Subtitle: Implementation concluded at a European customer, ongoing
negotiations about expansion
Improved performance through optimizing the selective emitter process and
through fine line printing
"centaurus FLEX" flexible upgrade concept forms focus of EU PVSEC trade fair
profile in Frankfurt
Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) - September 24, 2012 - centrotherm photovoltaics'
centaurus technology continues to achieve further advances in the current market
environment. Following successful project progress at a first customer in China,
the supplier of technology and systems from Blaubeuren, Germany, is now also
gaining market shares in other Asian countries with centaurus. In particular,
technologically highly-developed cell manufacturers are currently showing great
interest, as centaurus technology facilitates rapid entry into the production of
highly-efficient cells and modules. In contrast to other concepts for rear side
passivation, this technology is based on tried and tested processes and
materials, and enables simple integration into mass production at a constant
cost level compared with the standard process. centaurus solar cells can also be
further processed within conventional module construction.
Successful customer projects have allowed centrotherm to prove the centaurus
technology's mass production maturity. Ramp-up was also successfully concluded
at a European customer. Negotiations concerning further expansion are already
underway.
centaurus technology has also been consistently further developed over recent
months, with its efficiency having been boosted significantly through improved
laser optics. This step has allowed the laser diffusion to be better adapted to
realizable metallization production tolerances. In addition, centaurus was
successfully equipped with fine line metallization, which has already proved
successful in production. Average efficiencies above 19.5% are currently being
achieved at customers, with 20% solar cells being attained in production in the
best batches.
centrotherm is continuing to consistently pursue its upgrade strategy, offering
its customers the opportunity to considerably reduce their production costs.
Among other developments, the upgrade products' flexibility has been further
boosted to this end. Along with turnkey lines and upgrade packages, implementing
centaurus technology under partial integration of existing systems is now
possible with the "centaurus FLEX" upgrade concept. This significantly reduces
not only investment costs, but also integration time and expense.
At the 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU
PVSEC), centrotherm photovoltaics' trade fair presence focuses on technology
upgrades for highly-efficient solar cells.
centaurus technology combines selective emitter technology with a rear-side
passivation through a dielectric layer and a local aluminum back-surface field
(Al-LBSF). Compared to industrially produced standard solar cells with full-area
Al-BSF, centaurus cells exhibit a significantly lower recombination velocity on
the rear side. The internal light reflection is also improved in the long-wave
area, and consequently the short-circuit current.
A further plus point relating to solar cells produced with centrotherm
technology is that modules with centaurus solar cells have not only passed the
potential-induced degradation (PID) tests performed by the Fraunhofer Centre for
Silicon Photovoltaics (CSP), but have met the conditions for at least double the
test duration. PID is a voltage-related performance degradation in crystalline
solar modules, which is induced by so-called leakage currents. PID can generate
significant performance losses in modules.
Stand information for the centrotherm photovoltaics Group:
Frankfurt Trade Fair, Hall 3, Stand C6
About centrotherm photovoltaics AG
centrotherm photovoltaics AG, which is based at Blaubeuren, Germany, is a
globally leading technology and equipment provider for the photovoltaics sector.
The company equips well-known solar companies and new sector entrants with
turnkey production lines and single equipment to manufacture silicon, and
crystalline solar cells and modules. As a consequence, the Group possesses a
broad and well-founded technological basis, as well as key equipment at
practically all steps of the photovoltaics value chain. centrotherm
photovoltaics guarantees its customers important performance parameters such as
production capacity, efficiencies, and completion deadlines. The Group currently
employs around 1,300 staff, and operates globally in Europe, Asia and the USA.
centrotherm photovoltaics achieved revenue in the 2011 financial year of around
EUR 700 million. The company is listed in the Prime Standard on the Frankfurt
Stock Exchange.
Further inquiry note:
Saskia Feil
Tel: +49 (0) 7344 918-8890
saskia.feil@centrotherm.de
Nathalie Albrecht
Manager Public Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-6304
E-mail: nathalie.albrecht@centrotherm.de
end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: centrotherm photovoltaics AG
Johannes-Schmid-Str. 8
D-89143 Blaubeuren
phone: +49 (0) 7344 91880
mail: info@centrotherm.de
WWW: http://www.centrotherm.de
sector: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
indexes: Prime All Share, GEX, ÖkoDAX
stockmarkets: free trade: Berlin, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart,
regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt
language: English