Shell plans to focus on biofuels and exit the solar photovoltaics business, selling its 50% share of thin-film PV company Avancis to joint-venture partner, Saint-Gobain.The German firm produces copper-indium-selenide (CIS) modules at its 20MW plant, which came online last year.
Saint-Gobain said that it will “accelerate the industrial development of Avancis.” Two additional production lines are being ramped up at the manufacturing site in Torgau, Saxony.
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Avancis’ began as part of Shell Solar’s operations in Camarillo, CA, and was the first production-scale CIS factory, before the energy company divested that site as part of its 2006 sale to SolarWorld, although the crystalline-silicon firm did not acquire the thin-film assets as part of the deal. The CIS concern was spun off and the joint venture was created.
