The Cell Award event at Intersolar Munich on May 28 highlighted some of the best tools, technologies and regions from the PV manufacturing elite. The event was initiated to address the need for an independently-judged platform upon which to assess the most successful and esteemed technologies and potentials in the solar industry.
The International Solar Technology Awards are organised by a group of leading solar media, research organisations and industry associations. Award winners were determined by the combination of scores from an expert judging panel and a popular vote. The judging committee included senior technical experts from the Fraunhofer ISE, Moser Baer, SolarWorld, Q-Cells, Suntech, and ChinaSunergy.
The awards were presented by leading industry representatives, including Nick Sarno, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing at LDK Solar; Holger von Hebel, President of ersol; Dr Uros Merc, CEO of Bisol; Eleni Despotou, Policy Director and Deputy Secretary General of EPIA; and Jerry Stokes, President of Suntech Europe.
“Technological developments are at the heart of driving production costs down to ensure the photovoltaics industry continues on its path to grid-parity and beyond,” said LDK’s Sarno. “It was a pleasure to be involved in the Cell Award ceremony and congratulate the finalists and winners of the categories that thousands of people in the PV industry voted for.”
In the seven categories, the organisers came up with a shortlist of two or three entries per category.
The winners of the 2009 Cell Award are:
Industry Choice Award
+ BTU International: Meridian in-line diffusion system
Best technical product for module assembly
+ EFD: PV cell ribbon and bus bar methodology
Best process technology c-Si cell manufacturing lines
+ SiXtron: SunBox silane-free coating system
Best technical product for thin-film module manufacturing
+ Oerlikon Solar: KAI 1200 PECVD system
Best technology for silicon feedstock and wafer processes
+ tec5: VINSPEC SP in-Line process control
Best region for manufacturing solar technologies
+ IMG Saxony: Solar Valley
Green Solar Manufacturing Award
+ Linde Electronics: Onsite Fluorine Generator
Overall, the Awards were a huge success, with several of the entrants reiterating their intention to not only enter the awards again next year, but also to spread the word of the potential visibility in the industry that being part of the awards can offer.
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Entries for the 2010 Cell Award will open in September during the 24th EU PVSEC. Further details will be available in September on www.cellaward.com.