Gadir Solar Ramps Up in Record Time With Oerlikon Solar Thin Film Equipment
Oerlikon Solar, the world's leading supplier of thin film silicon photovoltaic (PV) production equipment, today announced that Gadir Solar is using its amorphous thin film silicon PV technology at the solar fabrication plant located in the bay of Cadiz, Spain. Gadir Solar's plant, one of the largest in Europe, began operation in October 2009. The company is ramping up in record time its annual production capacity of 40 MW, which is capable of producing about half a million PV panels per year. The amount of annually produced amorphous silicon PV panels will generate enough power for approximately 8,000 homes.
"We chose Oerlikon Solar because of its well-established track record of ramping up new thin film solar factories on time and on budget as well as its strong commitment to improving on the scalability and cost benefits for the technology. We were, and continue to be, extremely impressed with their ability to meet our requirements and in Oerlikon Solar's clear upgrade path to ensure our competitiveness in the market," said David Naranjo Villalonga, CEO of Cadmos / Gadir Solar. "We are committed to providing the most efficient solar solutions for the Mediterranean region. Introducing amorphous panels to our production plant means we can offer the highest standards of quality and reliability."
Driving down cost
Technology innovation is driving down the cost and improving the performance of solar technologies. Solar PV is becoming a mass production technology, and like flat-screen TVs, continued innovation and cost reductions is likely to occur over the next 5 to ten years. Oerlikon Solar customers are looking beyond the short-term supply market conditions, and are targeting the market for 2012 and beyond, when their micromorph® factories will be in full production at production costs that enable grid-parity level PPA prices.
"This opens another important market for our leading thin film solar PV technology," said Jürg Henz, CEO of Oerlikon Solar. "European countries such as Germany, Italy and Spain could claim about 801% of PV market share this year and we see tremendous opportunity in offering companies like Gadir Solar industrial proven mass production solutions for the thin film PV industry – the fastest-growing segment of PV."
Fastest time to market
Oerlikon Solar leads the thin film solar equipment sector with 12 factories in production in 7 countries around the globe and the fastest time to market. The company has dramatically increased the efficiency level of thin film silicon and has developed end-to-end manufacturing solutions to facilitate customers' entry into thin film silicon PV module manufacturing. Oerlikon Solar provides its customers with unparalleled experience in both installing and ramping up PV module factories, using its highly competitive amorphous silicon and high-efficiency micromorph® tandem production equipment technologies. The company invests significant R&D resources using non-hazardous substances and materials to achieve further performance improvements and cost reductions and has a business model that will lessen perceived technology risk, compared with other start up thin film producers.
Thin film solar offers a cost-advantage over traditional crystalline silicon, and is making strong efficiency gains. Coated with thin film silicon, amorphous panels are a cost effective alternative to traditional PV technologies and are expected to outpace future cost reductions in existing technologies.
IEC/TÜV certified Swiss quality
Oerlikon Solar is the first thin film silicon technology provider to have IEC/TÜV Rheinland master certification for its entire family of thin film silicon solar technologies, including both amorphous and micromorph® . The certification ensures that modules produced by Oerlikon Solar's customers are manufactured to the highest quality standards and can endure the most challenging real world environmental conditions. With more challenging credit markets, certification also makes Oerlikon Solar projects more predictable and bankable. Gadir Solar achieved IEC/TÜV Rheinland certification for the combination of durability and performance in December 2009.
About Gadir Solar
Subsidiary of Cadmos Energías Renovables Gadir Solar is the result of a bet towards the photovoltaic future, of vertical integration in this market and a business challenge strongly supported by world-class business and banking entities in Spain.
You need a company like Gadir Solar that can guarantee that the material/product will run for tens of years outdoors. The investors confidence is covered by the fact that they can obtain this type of product in their own country, where legal stability and standards, and local laws defend economic interests without interpretations.
For more information, please visit www.gadirsolar.es
About Oerlikon Solar
Oerlikon Solar offers field proven equipment and end-to-end manufacturing lines for the mass production of thin film silicon solar modules. Engineered to reduce device cost and maximize productivity, its end-to-end solutions are fully automated, high yield, high uptime, and low maintenance.
The production lines are complete systems, yet modular and upgradeable in both throughput and process technology. As a global leader in thin film PV technology, the company provides its customers with extensive experience in both amorphous and high-efficiency micromorph® tandem technology. Coated with non toxic thin film silicon, these PV panels are a cost effective alternative to traditional PV technologies and are expected to outpace future cost reductions in existing technologies.
Oerlikon Solar is ranked "global number one solar turnkey line supplier" by VLSI and has been named winner of the 2009 CELL AWARD for the "best technical product for thin film module manufacturing" as well as winner of the 2009 Solar Industry Award.
Oerlikon Solar is headquartered in Switzerland, has over 750 employees in 13 locations world wide and maintains sales and service centers in the USA, Europe and China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and Japan.
For more information, please visit www.oerlikon.com/solar
1 Solarbuzz, PV Marketshare Forecast 2010, Sept 2009
Contacts:
Oerlikon Solar Ltd.
Patrick Milo, +41 81 784 4960
Head
of Communications
Fax +41 81 784 6544
communications.solar@oerlikon.com
or
Gadir
Solar Office (Madrid)
Velázquez, 19 - 2º D
28001 – Madrid
Tel.
+34 91.781.53.16
Fax +34 91.576.35.29
