Product Briefing Outline: ACI-ecotec GmbH & Co. KG has developed a new inline wafer separation system suitable for separating mono- and polycrystalline wafers in all common formats with thicknesses of up to 120 µm. The new ecoSplit IXL has an output capacity of at least 3000 wafers per hour, and the especially gentle, patented separation technology makes it possible to reduce breakage rates to a low as 0.1%.
Product Briefing Outline: 3M has introduced its Ultra Barrier Solar Film for flexible thin-film technologies into volume manufacturing. The product is the result of more than a decade of development in transparent barrier technology, having the potential to drastically reduce the total system costs for rooftop solar installations. The film’s unique module form factor also offers an array of niche applications.
Product Briefing Outline: Satcon Technology has launched its next generation power conversion solution, Satcon ‘Equinox’. The Equinox 500 kilowatt solution is now available in both North America and Europe and is designed to improve system wide energy harvest and solar plant yield, enabling the large-scale solar industry’s lowest Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).
Product Briefing Outline: STMicroelectronics has introduced the SPV1001, which replaces the simple bypass diode with an intelligent device that enhances efficiency and offers the same package outline. The new device can deliver a fast Return-On-Investment, in terms of releasing additional energy for solar panel applications.
Product Briefing Outline: Dow Chemical has launched it ‘Enlight’ polyolefin encapsulant films, which are claimed to enhance efficiencies in PV module production and lead to lower conversion costs. The films also can provide greater module stability and improved electrical performance versus traditional encapsulants, such as EVA-based products, which improves the reliability and extends the service life of PV modules. The new encapsulant films are suitable for c-Si and thin-film modules.
Product Briefing Outline: Canadian Solar BIPV modules use double low iron tempered glass with solar cells laminated in between, making them ideal for roofs, skylights and/or facades. The modules use double low iron tempered glass with solar cells laminated in between, this means that the fundamental ideal of building material to generate electrical power is now a reality. With a 55W-115W/m2 output depending on cell spacing; the cells are made up of crystalline (mono or poly 125mm/ 156mm).
Product Briefing Outline: Control Techniques has launched a ‘transformerless’ central inverter system for utility scale photovoltaic power plants that is designed to maximize investor returns through optimized availability, efficiency and yield. Control Techniques’ SPV is constructed using 145kWp, 176kWp and multiple 176kWp parallel connected inverter modules to produce any desired power rating up to 1760kWp and employs a second generation Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm. Over the last 2 years Control Techniques inverters have been installed in over 80 large scale PV power plants with a combined power of 150MW. Confirmed orders for over 330MW have been received.
Product Briefing Outline: Ultrasonic Systems, Inc. (USI) has released its third generation PV360 for PV wafer coating applications. The PV360 uses nozzle-less ultrasonic technology for highly uniform, thinner coating deposition of solar cells when compared to conventional spray technologies. Optimized for high-volume, in-line manufacturing, the system can process up to 4,300 wafers (125mm sized wafers) per hour.
Product Briefing Outline: Umicore Precious Metals Refining has introduced a CIGS production scrap recycling service with an initial capacity of 50Mt per annum. This new service allows the recycling of production waste (e.g. chamber residues) generated by CIGS solar cell producers, and valorizes copper, indium, gallium and selenium.
Product Briefing Outline: Enphase Energy has unvieled its next-generation microinverter platform. The new microinverter achieves a CEC efficiency of 96%, which the company claims is a new record for microinverter technology. The design of the new platform allows for direct integration into solar modules, enabling a new breed of AC Module (ACM) products. The first ACM products using the new microinverter technology will be available in the first half of 2011.