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Applied Materials
By applying our four decades of thin film on silicon experience to the manufacturing of solar modules, the total volume of solar panels manufactured each year can be vastly increased. At the same time, Applied Materials' products are aimed at reducing the cost per watt of energy produced, to become more competitive with current electricity generation.
News about this company
Green Energy Technology starts production on Gen 8.5 a-Si thin-film solar PV line
Green Energy Technology has become the latest company--and the first in Taiwan--employing Applied Materials' SunFab amorphous-silicon thin-film PV module turnkey manufacturing line technology to achieve volume production status. The Taiwanese firm said it will reach an annualized capacity of 30 MW on its Generation 8.5 large-area glass line in the first quarter of 2009, and then ramp to 50 MW by the fourth quarter.
Top Stories 2008 - Thin Film – orders, gigawatts and growth
It was an interesting year for the thin-film industry, with Applied Materials’ first ‘SunFab’ turnkey 5.7m2 glass substrate (amorphous Si) thin-film modules. Several companies have jumped on this technology, one of the most prominent of which was Best Solar, who we saw place a $1.9 billion order for the company’s SunFab lines in March.
Top stories 2008: Fab and Facilities—Q-Cells leads the pack
Looking back over the year these are the stories that have made the headlines and been viewed the most by the audience at PV-Tech in the Fab and Facilities section. Take a look at the biggest stories involving Q-Cells, SunPower, Masdar, Applied Materials, Arise and Signet Solar.
The Masdar Initiative: on the road to the Zero Carbon city
Masdar City, Abu Dhabi is aiming to be the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste, car-free city powered entirely by renewable energy sources. This ambitious goal is being driven by the Masdar Initiative, a strategic endeavour by Abu Dhabi to spread the dogma of sustainability and clean energy throughout the city’s dwellers, industries and utilities.
Suntech’s ‘SunFab’ line near completion
Suntech Power Holdings' first thin-film line using Applied Materials' ‘SunFab’ turnkey technology will complete installation by the end of the year, noted Dr. Stuart Wenham, Suntech’s Chief Technology Officer, during a conference call with financial analysts.
Signet Solar’s Mochau, Germany facility ships initial customer orders for thin-film modules
Signet Solar has produced and shipped its first MW of panels from its Mochau, Germany manufacturing facility only one month after it became the first licensee of Applied Material’s SunFab thin-film modules. The first shipments are being sent to Hannover-based alfsolar Vertriebsgesellschaft GmbH. Other Signet customers include Phoenix Solar AG, Soleg GmbH, Goldbeck Solar GmbH and SolarMarkt AG.
Applied Materials completes first corporate solar power system with SunPower
Sunnyvale, California is the location of the U.S.’s first corporate campus-based solar power system, where Applied Materials has had installed two SunPower technology-based facilities totalling 2.1MW. The two systems comprise a 950KW SunPower PowerGuard installation and a 1.2MW SunPower Tracker installation. SunPower in turn uses Applied Materials’ Baccini Technology in its cell manufacturing process.
Tool Order: Applied Materials receives largest ever wafering order from LDK Solar
LDK Solar has placed a $220 million order with Applied Materials for its precision wafering systems as the company aggressively ramps c-Si wafer production as part of its plan to reach 3.2GW capacity in 2010. The systems are scheduled to begin shipping to LDK Solar's facility in Xinyu, China, in early 2009. According to Applied Materials, this is the largest single wafering order ever placed.
Applied Materials to service GET’s ‘SunFab’ thin film line
Green Energy Technology Inc. (GET) has signed a five-year service contract with Applied Materials to support GET’s ‘SunFab’ production line, located in Taiwan. Get also produces multi-crystalline silicon wafers.
Applied Materials expands ‘SunFab’ tool manufacturing in Taiwan
Applied Materials is expanding its equipment manufacturing capabilities in Taiwan with the construction of an extension to its Tainan Manufacturing Center at a cost of $17 million. Demand for its AKT flat panel display equipment and SunFab Thin Film Solar equipment was the reason for the expansion, which should be completed in mid-2009, Applied said.
Solar Leaders Video Clips
Large area thin-film modules approach scale manufacturing with Applied Materials and Signet Solar
The increasing cost of conventional energy and the rising carbon levels in the atmosphere have re-focused the energy agenda on to alternative energy sources. We make no secret at Photovoltaics International that we believe that PV offers the best opportunity to mitigate climate change and increase global renewable energy production dramatically over the next five years. If the PV manufacturing industry can achieve scale production, then the effect on system and operating costs will substantially lower the cost of energy.
Product Briefings
New Product: Applied’s ‘E3’ process control suite targets 20% boost to equipment effectiveness
Product Briefing Outline: Applied Materials has introduced the ‘Applied E3’ advanced equipment and process control solution, intended to be a comprehensive factory automation (FA) software package for improving the productivity and reducing the costs of semiconductor, flat panel display and photovoltaic solar cell manufacturing. The modular packages utilize proprietary algorithms that are claimed to boost process capability by >30 percent, reduce unscheduled downtime, and shorten cycle time to achieve up to a 20 percent increase in overall equipment effectiveness. Applied Materials said the system has already been employed by multiple major manufacturers and is currently being used in volume production.
