As China boosts solar energy to meet growing power demand and reduce dependence
on imported fuels, Tianwei and Oerlikon
Solar announced the completion 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.