GT Solar International has received final acceptance for the design, installation and commissioning of its turnkey wafer fabrication line in Spain. The Leon-based production line is intended for DC Wafers and will include GT Solar’s GT-DSS450 ingot growth technology, coupled with advanced wafering systems, and automated in-line inspection tools.
The line was designed to produce 30MW of multi-crystalline solar wafers annually; it will likely exceed that target by up to an additional 5MW, as the line is already operating beyond the polysilicon consumption rate expectations.
Ismael Guerrero Arias, DC Wafers’ director and chief technology officer said, “Our company is conscious of the positive implications that generating clean energy has for the environment and our local community in terms of job growth, and we are committed to the development of the photovoltaic industry. To those ends, we will continue to focus our R&D strategies on reducing costs, saving energy and achieving maximum quality and efficiency.”
Ron Jones, vice president and general manager of GT Solar’s turnkey business said, “We believe that DC Wafers is well situated in today’s market and we look forward to further strengthening our partnership with them to help optimize their competitive position as they expand their business.”
So far GT Solar has installed a variety of turnkey line configurations in countries around the globe including China, Greece, India, Italy, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.