Although not citing confirmed orders from the recent EU PVSEC in Valencia, regarded by many suppliers to the PV manufacturing industry as the most important event each year, centrotherm photovoltaics has confirmed it is in advanced contract negotiations with well-known companies up and down the supply chain. centrotherm photovoltaics is the second largest equipment supplier in the sector, after Applied Materials.
On the c-Si cell manufacturing side, not surprisingly, centrotherm noted that its selective emitter process offerings garnered interest at the show as well as its new rear side technology, which is based on dielectric passivation and local contacting. The company claims mean efficiencies of 19.1%, certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE.
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“This trade fair proved worthwhile for us. We conducted conversations with the largest manufacturers, and we are in advanced contract negotiations with well-known companies”, comments Dr. Peter Fath, Management Board member responsible for Technology and Marketing at centrotherm photovoltaics AG, the world’s leading supplier of equipment and systems manufacturer in the photovoltaics sector. “In terms of technology, we received very positive feedback on the selective emitter and the new centaurus rear side technology.”
Fath also noted that the one market trend at the EU PVSEC had been the demand for single equipment items to expand existing factories.
Subsidiaries also garnered interest, especially centrotherm SiTec, which presented for the first time at the EU PVSEC its 24 Pair CVD reactor with accompanying STC-TCS converter.
Also presenting a new thin film module inspection system for the first time was subsidiary, GP Solar, which was also picked-out for mention.
Slightly more specific was subsidiary, FHR Anlagenbau, which was said to have had had a very successful trade fair response, noting that the specialist machine builder for coating systems reported demand volume of more than €20 million for thin film technology.
“Our strategy of concentrating on efficiency-enhancing technology updates along the photovoltaic value chain is proving worthwhile. It also allows existing customers to benefit from the use of new technology by expanding their capacities and reducing their manufacturing costs through efficiency gains,” added Fath.
