US-Based ‘Direct Wafer’ producer, 1366 Technologies has reported a champion cell that has achieved a cell conversion efficiency of 19.1%, verified by Fraunhofer ISE.
1366 Technologies used its standard size kerfless multicrystalline wafer technology,
Frank van Mierlo, CEO, 1366 Technologies said: “The disruptive nature of the Direct Wafer process is not only evident in the cost and material savings it provides, but in its ability to break the technology limitations of conventional wafer manufacturing. The rapid and significant efficiency gains we’ve achieved will be further increased by new wafer features made possible only with our process.”
Van Mierlo said that it was targeting 20% plus cell efficiencies in the first half of 2016.
“These most recent achievements are exciting because they were attained in industrial lines, not a lab. They represent a real leap forward. We are well on our way to producing high performance wafers at a cost of less than US$0.40 each at GW scale,” added van Mierlo.
Recently, 1366 Technologies announced plans to build its first volume manufacturing hub in Genesee County, New York with an initial 250MW capacity (50 furnaces, 50 million wafers per annum) and ramp to 3GW in future phases.
