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August 27, 2009
Baoding,
China: Baoding Tianwei Starts Mass Production of Thin Film Solar
Panels
Tianwei and Oerlikon Solar have completed of one of the mainland
China’s largest thin film solar panel factories. The facility
was completed ahead of schedule. This first phase of the Tianwei
project produces 500,000 modules per year, which generates a total
of 46 megawatts of power.
Oerlikon
Solar leads the thin film solar equipment sector with ten factories
in production and the fastest time to market. Thin film solar
offers a cost-advantage over traditional crystalline silicon,
and is making strong efficiency gains. Tianwei is using Oerlikon
Solar’s Amorph High Performance PV technology for Phase 1.
“Oerlikon
Solar surpassed its promised completion time and efficiency,”
said Mr. Ma Wenxue, General Manager of Baoding Tianwei Solarfilms
Co., Ltd. “Watching this state of-the-art fab go from an empty
room to full production in six months was stunning.”
Reaching
production quickly is essential to allow Tianwei to address the
rapidly growing Chinese solar market. Under the “Golden Sun” program
announced on July 21, China's Ministry of Finance will subsidize
half of the construction costs for on-grid solar power plants.
The ministry of finance will also pay for up to 70 percent of
off-grid installations and cover transmission costs where necessary.
In response, analysts have predicted that China could develop
more than 500 megawatts of solar power within three years. Just
50 megawatts of solar power were installed in 2008.
“Oerlikon
Solar has designed, tested and perfected its methodology for bringing
new factories and equipment online on time and on budget,” said
Jeannine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar. “This is key in being
the leader on the path to grid parity and placing clean renewable
solar power on equal footing with traditional fossil fuel sources.
Oerlikon
Solar has the first thin film silicon technology to have IEC certification
from TÜV Rheinland for Amorph Basic, Amorph High Performance and
Micromorph®. Certification compresses the time to production by
reducing administration efforts and guaranteeing durability and
performance. With more challenging credit markets, certification
also makes Oerlikon Solar's customers projects more predictable
and bankable. TÜV certification for the Tianwei line is expected
in September 2009.
Further details about: Baoding
Tianwei SolarFilms Co. Ltd and Oerlikon
Solar
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