Thin film photovoltaic technology regains new market potential

Oerlikon Solar announced that the company’s new production line “ThinFab” achieved a 10% thin-film silicon module efficiency and a record-breaking manufacturing cost of 0.5 euros per watt ( 4.3 yuan). The company also announced that it has created a new record of laboratory battery stability efficiency of up to 11.9% and has been confirmed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) . This proves the future potential of thin film silicon technology and will change the outside world's understanding of thin film technology.

Oerlikon Group CEO Michael Buscher said: " These achievements are a breakthrough in thin film silicon technology. This technology has a leading edge in making solar energy an economically viable energy source. "

According to reports, the new ThinFab combines several improvements that were developed based on Oerlikon Solar's technology roadmap, including: 10% stable module efficiency; thinner battery structure, lower energy attenuation, gas consumption Lower volume; new generation of PECVD , TCO and laser with higher performance; new module design and more.

According to Oerlikon, ThinFab has reduced the energy investment recovery time of thin-film silicon modules to one year, achieving the industry's lowest energy consumption for photovoltaic production plants, enabling related companies to maintain a very high competitive advantage in the fast-growing solar energy market.

"The new ThinFab will change people's understanding of thin film silicon technology. " Jürg Henz , CEO of Oerlikon Solar, said that the company's new technology can provide 10% module efficiency and high energy utilization, and the technology's production costs At the lowest, this provides the key for customers to enter a large number of photovoltaic fields and markets.

“ Our latest laboratory battery records show that this technology still has a huge advantage to be tapped. The 11.9% stable energy efficiency further shows the potential of thin-film silicon technology. Compared with other crystallization technologies, our technology provides the least Energy consumption, and not be trapped by limited resources. " Jürg Henz said.

Because the conversion efficiency is lower than the crystalline silicon cell, the degree of attenuation is not clear, and the installation cost is high, the thin film photovoltaic technology has previously been questioned. At present, Suntech has temporarily suspended its thin-film panel business. U.S. Applied Materials also announced that it has temporarily withdrew from the thin-film battery business. Tianwei Yingli also stated that it will no longer be involved in the thin-film battery industry in the short term, indicating that the short-term competitiveness of the silicon thin film line has declined.