AUO and SunPower’s Fab 3 kick-starts solar cell production with 22.2% efficiencies

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

In its bid to expand capacity and become cost competitive with their rivals, AUO and SunPower’s Fab 3 facility in Malaysia has fabricated its first 100 solar cells, yielding a minimum conversion efficiency of 22.2%. Due to the successful initial run, the partners expect commercial production to ramp up later this year.

“Our initial production runs at Fab 3 exceeded 22 percent conversion efficiency, a truly remarkable achievement,” said Tom Werner, SunPower CEO. “This milestone positions AUO SunPower to meet the strong, global demand for our leading solar technology in 2011 and beyond. The combined AUO SunPower team has hit the ground running and is demonstrating our ability to attain our collective high standards of quality and reliability, while meeting our planned production schedules.”

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

“The AUO SunPower JV combines SunPower’s leading solar cell technology with AUO’s advanced manufacturing technology and efficient management,” said Mr. Feng Liang Chiu, President of AUO SunPower Sdn. Bhd., appointed by AUO.

Construction and manufacturing ramp at Fab 3 was reiterated is still expected to continue through 2013.

Read Next

September 30, 2026
Solar module manufacturer Heliene has launched a new all-black solar module targeting the rooftop solar market in the US.
September 30, 2026
The Solar Markt Group has started commercial operations at the Hódmezővásárhely facility, the largest hybrid power plant in Hungary.
September 30, 2026
In this contributed blog for PV Tech, Dr KT Tan, CTO of Viridian Solar, argues that DC connectors, though among the cheapest components in a PV installation, sit in the same dangerous blind spot as the low-cost parts blamed for catastrophic engineering failures like the Challenger and Columbia disasters.
September 29, 2026
The German government has awarded contracts to 480MW worth of solar-plus-storage capacity in its latest public "innovation" tender.
September 29, 2026
Linton Crystal Technologies has filed a lawsuit accusing Jingsheng of infringing two of its Czochralski (Cz) crystal growth equipment patents.
September 29, 2026
French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen has started construction on a 122MW solar PV portfolio in France.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
February 2, 2027
London, UK