Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems has opened a new crystalline-silicon solar module factory in Erfurt, central Germany. The plant will have an initial annual production rate of 32 MW, with a 45-MW capacity achieved by year’s end, according to the company.
The factory employs 100 workers and should reach a headcount of 130 by the end of the year. Motech, Sunergy, and ersol are among the solar-cell suppliers for Asola’s module production.
“We are seeing positive signs in the market for the second half of 2009,” said Alan Niedzwiecki, president/CEO of Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies, Asola’s affiliate company. “Our expanded capacity is already proving to be very timely to support the increased demand in line with the medium and long-term prospects for the solar industry in Europe as well as the U.S.”
Asola recently announced a $17 million contract with German PV systems integrator Sunworx, which will buy tens of thousands of Asola-made modules for its projects under the terms of the deal.
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