Nanosolar supplies 6MW of CIGS PV panels for projects in France, Oregon

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Thin film PV company Nanosolar said it has supplied close to 6MW of its CIGS utility panels for two installations in France and Oregon, as part of its partnership with EDF Energies Nouvelles and its US subsidiary, enXco.

Approximately 3MW were installed this summer and commissioned in September in a larger EDF EN solar power plant in Gabardan, France—said to be the first utility-scale deployment of Nanosolar panels by the French company. ColSun, a joint venture between EDF EN and Belectric, built the system, which also uses SMA central inverters.

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 Oregon project, built this summer and commissioned in November, is located near Amity and consists of two systems comprising almost 3MW of Nanosolar modules. enXco developed, designed, and installed the pair of systems, which are connected to the Portland General Electric distribution grid, using Advanced Energy inverters.

Brian Stone, Nanosolar’s VP of worldwide sales and marketing, told PV-Tech during the Solar Power International show that of the panels deployed for the Gabardan project, 1MW are ~8%-efficient, 160W models, 1MW are ~8.5-efficient, 170W modules, and the other 1MW are ~10%-efficient, 200W units (corrected). The dual-site Oregon project, sized collectively at 2.88MW, features all 200W panels.

He also said the company’s 2012 goal is to sell 50% of its panel run in the US, with the other 50% split between Europe and India, where Nanosolar is part of several bids related to the emerging market’s National Solar Mission.

The company has begun officially ramping its 115MW cell-making facility in San Jose and expects to reach a 100MW run rate (based on 12% nominal panel efficiencies) next year, according to CEO Geoff Tate.

 “These latest projects to be commissioned with Nanosolar panels are a significant validation of both our close relationship with EDF EN and the low-cost potential of our thin film printing technology, which we believe can fundamentally change the solar and energy industries,” said  Tate in a prepared statement. “EDF Energies Nouvelles continues to be a strategic, collaborative partner to Nanosolar in the development, testing, and installation of our printing technology.” 

“Nanosolar’s thin-film printing process and the Nanosolar Utility Panel continue to show great promise for low-cost solar installations,” stated Pierre-Guy Therond, head of new technologies at EDF EN. “We continue to support the development and progress of this disruptive technology from the lab through to delivery in the field.”

The company recently announced another commissioned installation, a 538KW system at the Ohio National Guard’s Camp Perry, with another 1MW project set to begin construction soon at another military site, Camp Roberts near Paso Robles, CA.

(For more on the recent Nanosolar installations, check out Ed Gunther’s blog here.)

 

Read Next

October 8, 2025
Australia's NEM achieved a new minimum operational demand record of 9,666MW, marking a 4% decrease from the previous record.
October 8, 2025
Frontier Energy plans to expand its Waroona Renewable Energy Project into a renewable energy precinct by 2031, targeting up to 1GW solar.
October 7, 2025
Econergy will acquire 100% stake in the 155MW Ratesti solar project in Romania, further expanding its European renewable energy portfolio.
October 7, 2025
Juniper Green Energy through its subsidiary Juniper Green Sigma Eight has signed a 70MW power purchase agreement with renewable energy giant Tata Power. 
October 7, 2025
Solar PV will account for almost 80% of the 4.6TW of new renewable power expected to be added by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
October 7, 2025
OpenSolar has secured US$13.1 million in equity financing from technology investors, including Titanium Ventures, Google and others.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK