SVTC and Roth & Rau announce increased capacity at Silicon Valley plant

SVTC Technologies, a provider of technology development and commercialization services to semiconductor clients and Roth & Rau, a Germany-based solar equipment manufacturer, have announced a renewal and expansion of their partnership, establishing a 30MW photovoltaic development and manufacturing center located in California's Silicon Valley.

The Silicon Valley Photovoltaic Development Center has increased capacity since the original plans; the manufacturing line will now have a capacity of 30MW as opposed to the former 5MW benchmark. SVTC and Roth & Rau decided that this was an important move if they were going to meet the greater demand from solar development companies.

The 30MW Development Center will offer a full range of manufacturing equipment and services to companies engaged in the development and production of solar cells. 

"SVTC has proven the value of its business model of providing equipment and development capabilities for the commercialization of products in the semiconductor portion of its business. We will adapt the same concept to the emerging US solar business to accelerate its ability to grow the market for solar cells," said Joe Bronson, CEO of SVTC Technologies.

"The timing is right for a big push into the U.S. market for solar technologies, especially in California and Silicon Valley," said Dietmar Roth, CEO of Roth & Rau AG.

The Center is scheduled to be operational by 2010 and will offer a full range of low-cost development solutions along with the 30MW solar cell production line. The manufacturing line will consist of state-of-the-art Roth & Rau equipment and will also include tools from other world-class solar equipment suppliers.