Earlier this year, Veeco announced its impending exit from the CIGS thin-film PV business and with its announcement advised of its intentions to transfer its R&D facility and pilot line in New York to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University of Albany. Three months after the initial declaration, Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, Senior VP and CEO of CNSE, and Congressman Chris Gibson, came together to formally launch CNSE’s new Solar Energy Development Center in Halfmoon, New York, which has taken over the facility once occupied by Veeco.
CNSE manages and operates the New York facility, which features a 100kW prototyping and demonstration line for next generations CIGS thin-film solar cells. Additionally, the Halfmoon site has a pilot line for proof-of-concept prototyping, which will allow preliminary performance data to be gathered before a full-scale manufacturing line is developed.
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CNSE also noted that the work completed at its new center would support the US Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium. The US$300 million public-private collaboration is headquartered at CNSE and was created as part of the US DOE’s SunShot Initiative under a partnership between CNSE and Sematech.
CNSE Vice President for Clean Energy Programs Dr. Pradeep Haldar said, “The important effort to commercialize, manufacture and bring to market advanced CIGS solar cell technologies will receive a shot in the arm with opening of CNSE’s Solar Energy Development Centre. The presence of a pilot line for prototyping and proof-of-concept demonstration will enable CNSE to accelerate its innovative work in advancing next-generation solar technologies, while also supporting the essential mission of the US Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium.”