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Nanotechnology-based thin-film materials specialist, Cambrios Technologies has received a US$5 million, Series D-3 financing round from Samsung Venture Investment Corporation as part of a prelude to further business collaborations on coating materials, which could include transparent electrodes for touch screens, liquid crystal displays, e-paper, OLED devices, OLED lighting and thin film photovoltaics.
Citing growing world demand for environmentally-friendly production equipment cleaning gases within the flat panel display and silicon thin-film photovoltaic industries, Solvay and Air Liquide have formed a joint venture to provide onsite fluorine production. The partners claim to be able to offer significant economic benefits based on Solvay’s modular fluorine production technology.
A 11.7 MWp PV power plant, completed late last year by Masdar PV in Thuringia, Germany, used dual-junction ‘micromorph’ silicon technology and amorphous technology with over half being full sized modules.
The rapid decline in conventional crystalline silicon module production costs has wiped-out a significant part of the cost advantage once benefiting thin film module producers. As falling polysilicon prices continue to find their way through to volume producers in 2012, the pressure on thin film cost reduction intensifies. To compete, Oerlikon Solar is prepping the launch of its 2nd generation ‘ThinFab’ line that claims a module cost of around US$0.5/Wp (€0.35/Wp), compared to its previously claimed cost of US$0.64 (€0.50/Wp) of the original turnkey system launched in September, 2010 at EU PVSEC.
Troubled thin film veteran, Energy Conversion Devices has deferred interest payments to note holders of its Senior Convertible Notes due 2013 as it continues talks with some of the holders over restructuring debt and raising funds to continue operations.
Oerlikon Solar has teamed up with the International Cooperation Center for China Renewable Energy Society (CRES) to further the company’s research and strategic development of thin-film silicon technology in China. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will involve a collaborative joint effort toward the promotion of Oerlikon’s products, technology and research in China.
Xunlight and Trina Solar’s 220kW solar demonstration project in China has reached completion. Xunlight, through its subsidiary in Kunshan, China, provided Trina Solar with 220kW of its flexible thin-film silicon solar modules, which had been assembled using its triple-junction thin-film solar cells manufactured at its 25MW solar cell facility in Ohio.
As part of its long-term cost reduction goals for its turnkey Micromorph thin film silicon ‘ThinFab’ production lines, Oerlikon Solar has teamed with gas suppliers Air Liquide and Linde to provide more than a 20% reduction in total cost of all gases and precursors. As a result, its ThinFab (120MWp) lines going into full production by end of 2012 can reduce module production costs by up to 5%. The total gas budget was said to be less than €8.50 per panel.
The former Edgeboro Landfill in East Brunswick, New Jersey has been converted into a solar power generating facility with the completion of a 4.3MW solar project by ENN Solar Energy and National Renewable Energy Corporation (NERC). ENN used 9,000 of its thin-film silicon solar modules for the project, which is anticipated to be able to produce 100 million kWh of electricity over its lifetime.
A sharing of management responsibilities at struggling Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) has been announced with ex-Abound Solar executive, Julian Hawkins joining the firm as Chief Executive Officer and President and a member of the Board of Directors, effective December 5, 2011. Current Interim President since May 2011, Jay Knoll will become Executive Vice President and Chief Restructuring Officer at the same time.
