PV CellTech Talk: Dr. Christian Buchner, SCHMID Group

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
PV Tech spent time talking to SCHMID Group’s Dr. Christian Buchner ahead of this years event to get his views on the challenges facing the PV manufacturing industry. Image: SCHMID Group

SCHMID Group is one of the key sponsors of PV CellTech 2017, a company with over 1,200 employees and five production facilities around the world. A private company since its establishment in 1864 – means its involvement in the PV industry is relatively new but its position as one of the leading solar cell processing equipment and automation specialists is well recognised. 

Ahead of PV CellTech 2017 SCHMID Group had launched a new texturing tool for diamond-wire-cut P-multi-c-Si wafers, which had already secured orders in the 500MW range. Such technology is seen as critical to P-type multi production migrating to PERC cell technology and a key topic at PV CellTech 2017. The company also noted that it expected a further 5GW of new orders for the tool in the first-half of 2017. 

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

PV Tech spent time talking to SCHMID Group’s Dr. Christian Buchner ahead of this years event to get his views on the challenges facing the PV manufacturing industry.

Not only is Dr. Christian Buchner the head of the business unit Photovoltaics at SCHMID Group but was an enthusiastic attendee at the inaugural PV CellTech and has since become an enthusiastic member of the PV CellTech advisory board and an active participant again at this year’s event. 

Why the enthusiasm? 

“For sure PV CellTech is the highlight of the year for me,” noted Dr. Buchner. “Like many in the industry the feeling was that we needed an event where industry players could talk more frankly, share ideas and have better individual exchanges, due to the quality of people and the topics discussed and this was the right event.” 

What do you see as some of the key challenges facing the industry? 

“I think everyone that is still active in aluminium BSF is in a very deadly spiral of higher cost, due to the increased adoption of PERC technology. The interesting presentation from Bob Chen and Andy Luan of Neo Solar Power at PV CellTech last year highlighted the win, win, win, scenario of P-type mono over P-type multi, highlights decisions that also need to be made to make the first steps to migrate to other product landscapes and higher efficiencies. The cost and volume production availability of mono could be a decider but as per last year’s roadmap presentation by LONGi it looks possible that they could get there.”

“From an in-house technology perspective we want to be in sync with our industry partners on whichever technology roadmap is pursued, whether PERC or heterojunction and these technologies may not end up competing with each other. Of course this is a challenge in itself but our experience in the industry and product solutions makes us very confident in meeting that challenge. 

Without giving too much away here, Dr. Buchner will be covering in detail more of the technology challenges in his presentation at the event. 

To view the final PV CellTech agenda updates, please follow this link. To register for the event, click here.

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

Premium
October 6, 2025
Talon PV aims to be the first US company to safely manufacture TOPCon cells at scale, backed by European technology and a crucial First Solar licensing deal.
October 3, 2025
The US solar manufacturing industry is feeling bullish, despite the policy whiplash inflicted over the summer and the increased pressure on US solar supply chains.
October 2, 2025
PV products using perovskite technology could assume a dominant position within the next ten years, according to module producer Qcells' CTO.
Premium
October 2, 2025
PV Talk: Qcells’ CTO Danielle Merfeld discusses the imminent opening of America’s first integrated c-Si ingot-to-module factory and her belief in solar’s long-term strengths.
September 29, 2025
Indian solar manufacturer Waaree has said it does not expect to pay additional duties on its solar cell imports to the US, following the start of an antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigation by the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP).
Premium
September 25, 2025
An anticipated uptick in US cell manufacturing presents opportunities for European PV tool producers, says RENA Technologies’ Michael Vees.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland