TSMC Solar touts new CIGS thin-film module efficiency

CIGS thin-film module manufacturer, TSMC Solar has boosted its champion module efficiencies to 15.1%, a 0.9% increase barely five-months after reporting efficiencies of 14.2% in September, 2012.

The 15.1% module total area efficiency record was produced with its commercial-sized (1.09 m²) substrate at its manufacturing facility in Taichung, Taiwan.

Both TUV SUD and UL testing houses verified the module efficiency levels.

Ying-Chen Chao, President of TSMC Solar said, “In just one year our process technology has made great progress. Our champion modules now have comparable module efficiency to mainstream multi-crystalline silicon modules, demonstrating TSMC Solar’s ability to realize the high-efficiency potential of our CIGS technology.”

According to Stephen McKenery, TSMC Solar worldwide sales head said that TSMC’s TS CIGS Series modules deliver up to 5% additional energy yield over crystalline silicon modules in high temperature regions.