Product Briefing Outline: GT Solar International has launched the ‘DSS450HP,’ a high performance ingot growth furnace with a thermally optimized, second-generation hot zone for improved throughput while delivering industry-leading crystal quality. Because the DSS450HP has the same dimensions as the DSS450, current users can easily migrate to the new DSS450HP with a field upgrade kit.
Product Briefing Outline: Schiller Automation’s TS 3600 high-performance tester & sorter is claimed to set a new benchmarks for cell throughput, yield and reliability. With 3,600 cells per hour with an assured good part yield of 97.3% and a guaranteed operational availability of 95% make the TS 3600 a leading high-performance and reliable cell tester and sorter of its type.
Product Briefing Outline: Solon has developed the ‘SOLON Black 220/16’ mono-crystalline module including a service package for large-scale projects, thus providing a module that is a safe and highly profitable investment. This move is in keeping with Solon’s commitment to meet the special conditions of the project business.
The German solar industry’s research and development efforts into advanced solar cell technology will be given a boost of €100 million, after Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved plans, according to Reuters. The move was made, according to the report, to weaken resistance by members of the lower house of parliament (Bundesrat), particularly from eastern states such as Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, to a proposed 16% extra solar feed-in tariff cut. There are a a significant number of PV manufacturers located in these regions, and many have openly opposed the FIT cut suggested by Merkel’s government.
Product Briefing Outline: RASIRC has made several new improvements to its RASIRC Steamer '02, which handles controlled and purified water vapor that can then be delivered into most carrier gases for film growth in furnaces. Users of the RASIRC Steamer are claimed to have obtained improved oxide growth rate, film quality, and reduced operating costs.
Product Briefing Outline: Saflex, a business unit of Solutia, has launched the Saflex Radiant White PA27 encapsulant, which was developed in collaboration with Oerlikon Solar to improve conversion efficiencies of its tandem-junction ‘micromorph’ thin-film module technology. Saflex PA27 is manufactured to an ultra-thin thickness of 0.51mm compared to standard PVB encapsulants and is the first ultra-thin reflective PVB encapsulant available for use in the solar market.
Photon Consulting’s forecast figures for German PV installations were virtually right on the mark, and my criticism over its forecasting credibility has been blown out of the water. Preliminary figures from the German Federal Network Agency put PV installations at 3.8GW with the potential for final number crunching to produce a higher figure. Photon Consulting had projected 3.9GW in their September 2009 release of their annual report and could prove to be frighteningly close to final figures, whenever they are issued.
Product Briefing Outline: The Air Products ChemGuard 1000 Automated Chemical Delivery system was developed exclusively for the photovoltaics market to help customers reduce phosphorus oxychloride (POCl3) dopant bubbler refill costs by more than 45%. The system will enable users to minimize their cost of operation and risk of contamination, while improving delivery system safety and reliability.
Product Briefing Outline: Shin-Etsu Silicones of America (U.S. subsidiary of Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., Japan) has recently introduced a diverse line of advanced performance, silicone-based products specifically designed for applications that benefit the protection and performance of PV modules in the field. These are comprised of two key product categories that cover potting and sealing applications.
