(BUSINESS WIRE)--Suniva, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and modules, today announced its next generation ARTisun™ Select series solar cells are in production. These next generation cells are achieving conversion efficiencies of more than 19 percent, a record for screen-printed cells in full-scale production. Suniva attains these efficiencies using a uniform single-sided emitter along with other proprietary innovations on the front side of the cell. Suniva is the first company to successfully leverage ion implantation as an enabling technology in the mass production of solar cells.
Suniva’s unique intellectual property and proprietary processing capabilities, combined with several years of collaborative research and development on ion implantation technology, enables the company to bring ARTisun Select to the market and into full production as the first of its kind using this unique manufacturing technology. Additionally, Suniva simplified its solar cell manufacturing process by eliminating two entire steps, which allows the company to more cost-effectively produce its record-setting cells. The use of ion implantation in Suniva’s manufacturing process is based on years of development collaboration with Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates (NASDAQ: VSEA).
“Combined with Suniva’s innovative R&D and proprietary processes, ion implantation provides us with a very cost-effective way to manufacture solar cells of 19 percent efficiency without adding complex processes for a selective emitter. We do have the capability to use a selective emitter, but we have not yet chosen to do so,” said Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi, Suniva founder and CTO. “Our unique development process is what will ultimately enable Suniva to achieve efficiencies in the 20 percent range in our third generation cells on n-type wafer and maintain an equally attractive manufacturing cost.”
Suniva’s record-setting efficiencies for low cost cells are being integrated across its module line with module level efficiencies of 16+%. The ARTisun Select product line is a logical progression on Suniva’s technology roadmap towards its next generation products that are in its labs. This technology roadmap is built around multiple proprietary cell structures certified by NREL as achieving 20% efficiency. Suniva previously achieved industry-leading, certified efficiencies of more than 20 percent on screen-printed cells in the lab.
“Leveraging ion implantation in solar cell processing has traditionally proven too costly and slow. Combined with Suniva’s deep research and our own proprietary design, recipes and processes, we have unlocked the value of the ion implanter as an enabling technology for solar cell processing. The result is an immediate, one percent efficiency gain in ARTisun Select, and an ongoing reduction in our cell conversion costs,” said Bruce McPherson, vice president of research and development for Suniva. “We are quite confident that this is just the first step in a multistep process which will take Suniva well into the 20% category of efficiencies while still maintaining low cost screen printed manufacturing processes. Through continued innovation, optimization and modification of cell design and manufacturing processes, and by leveraging both our unique R&D relationship with the University Center of Excellence in Photovoltaics (UCEP) and strategic 3rd party technology collaborations , such as Varian, Suniva will continue to lead the market in efficiencies so far unattained in low-cost solar cell manufacturing.”
With its expanding, diverse and skilled workforce, Suniva is producing world-class technology and generating record-setting screen printed solar cell efficiencies both in the lab and in manufacturing. For more information about Suniva and its products, please visit www.suniva.com.
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Showing posts with label suniva. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suniva. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Suniva, FLS Energy Target Southeast U.S. With High-Performance U.S. Solar Farm
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Suniva, Inc., a U.S. manufacturer of high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells and modules, and FLS Energy, a North Carolina-based solar energy generation company, yesterday announced they will integrate Suniva’s high-power, solar modules in a series of installations in the southeastern U.S. The first project is a 550 kW solar farm that will occupy a former landfill; implementation is underway in North Carolina. FLS Energy has a 20 year power purchase agreement to sell the solar generated electricity to Progress Energy.
“We’re seeing unprecedented demand in the Southeast for solar,” said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy. “In order to address the rapidly expanding market here, FLS is committed to using the most advanced, efficient, and cost-effective solar technology available. Working with Suniva will allow us to address growing demand with technology that combines high-yield solar power with high-quality U.S. manufacturing content.”
Suniva’s UL and IEC certified, CEC listed solar modules contain more than 90% U.S. content and offer a 25-year performance warranty, representing the highest quality standards in today’s industry. The modules are powered by Suniva’s high-efficiency ARTisun® series solar cells and deliver peak power output up to 300watts, one of the highest in the industry. High power output is a key factor in reducing installation and balance-of-system costs in all installations.
“Working with FLS Energy, Suniva will play a major role in driving growth in the southeastern solar market,” said John Baumstark, CEO of Suniva. “Our solar modules Powered by Suniva™ cell technology will enable FLS’s installations to deliver some of the highest levels of performance and reliability in the industry.”
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“We’re seeing unprecedented demand in the Southeast for solar,” said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy. “In order to address the rapidly expanding market here, FLS is committed to using the most advanced, efficient, and cost-effective solar technology available. Working with Suniva will allow us to address growing demand with technology that combines high-yield solar power with high-quality U.S. manufacturing content.”
Suniva’s UL and IEC certified, CEC listed solar modules contain more than 90% U.S. content and offer a 25-year performance warranty, representing the highest quality standards in today’s industry. The modules are powered by Suniva’s high-efficiency ARTisun® series solar cells and deliver peak power output up to 300watts, one of the highest in the industry. High power output is a key factor in reducing installation and balance-of-system costs in all installations.
“Working with FLS Energy, Suniva will play a major role in driving growth in the southeastern solar market,” said John Baumstark, CEO of Suniva. “Our solar modules Powered by Suniva™ cell technology will enable FLS’s installations to deliver some of the highest levels of performance and reliability in the industry.”
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Friday, April 3, 2009
Georgia Tech Powers Southeast's First Solar Cell Manufacturer
Using technology developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Suniva Inc. has become the first solar cell manufacturer in the Southeast. The company is making high-efficiency crystalline-silicon photovoltaic cells around the clock at a 73,000-square-foot facility in Norcross, north of Atlanta.
Moreover, Suniva expects to expand quickly. Using technology based on the research of Georgia Tech Regents’ Professor Ajeet Rohatgi, the company is presently manufacturing its ARTisun solar cells at a rate of 32 megawatts (MW) annually. Since an average U.S. home requires about 5 kilowatts of power, Suniva’s present annual output can furnish enough solar cells to supply about 6,300 homes, Rohatgi says.
Suniva plans to ramp up to an annual solar-cell output of nearly 100 MW – enough to power about 19,000 U.S. homes. The company currently employs about 70 people and expects to add more staff as it grows.
Suniva uses a patented technology it calls Star to extract maximum performance from wafers of monocrystalline silicon, a material often used for solar power generation.
A solar cell contains several layers, and every layer plays a role in the cell’s overall efficiency. Rohatgi has studied solar cells in depth for some 30 years, learning how to optimize each layer to get maximum output – at the least cost.
“We want to be right at the sweet spot,” said Rohatgi, who is both Suniva’s founder and chief technology officer. “We want cells that are highly efficient but low in cost, and that can generate power at a cost comparable to the power you buy from the electric company.”
Rohatgi’s solar-cell research has received significant funding over many years from the U.S. Department of Energy.
“Suniva is a shining example of how government support for research can lead to very real job creation,” said Robert Knotts, director of federal relations for Georgia Tech. “It’s a strong reminder of why we should invest in research.”
Suniva’s current solar-cell output falls in the 17- to 18-percent efficiency range, which Rohatgi classifies as high, especially in a lower-cost cell. But the company is continuing to improve its technology, and recently the National Renewable Energy Laboratory certified a new Suniva cell and cell structure at 20 percent efficiency, generally considered very high.
Suniva is a graduate of VentureLab, a Georgia Tech program supported by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) to foster young companies based on commercially promising research. In early 2008, Suniva joined the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), Georgia Tech’s science and technology incubator.
Georgia Tech’s VentureLab is part of Commercialization Services, a unit of Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute. Commercialization Services’ work involves identifying, evaluating and promoting Georgia Tech research discoveries that show commercial promise.
To date, Suniva has received total funding of $55.5 million from several venture capital organizations, including Menlo Park, Calif.-based New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Even more significant, Suniva now has contracts worth more than $1 billion through 2013, with more agreements expected.
Rohatgi, who runs the University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and Education in Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, admits he was hesitant when VentureLab and NEA began encouraging him in 2006 to start a solar-cell company. He told them it would be better to wait until he’d achieved even higher efficiencies in a low-cost cell.
“The VentureLab people were very helpful to me as I thought through the pros and cons of starting a company,” Rohatgi said. “I wanted to wait for 20 percent efficiency, but VentureLab and NEA executives convinced me that we already possessed a unique balance of efficiency and cost.”
Rohatgi said Suniva gained another advantage early on—a first-class management team.
“With the help of NEA and VentureLab, Suniva has assembled a great management team with enormous experience in running technology manufacturing companies,” he said. “I have to admit that being able to put together such a well-established team played a big role in my decision to start the company in August 2007.”
Suniva’s chairman and CEO, John W. Baumstark, is a technology-industry veteran with wide experience that includes serving as CEO of DWL before its acquisition by IBM and as chief operating officer of TRADEX Technologies before and during its acquisition by Ariba Inc. for $5.6 billion in 2000.
The company’s vice president of manufacturing, Stephen P. Shea, ran BP Solar’s manufacturing line for many years. Daniel L. Meier, vice president of research and development, has worked for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and has run R&D for two other companies.
Other top Suniva management includes CFO James M. Modak and vice president of marketing and sales J. Bryan Ashley.
According to Baumstark, Suniva’s expansion plans have not been hampered by global credit problems.
“We've been fortunate,” Baumstark said recently. “We've picked partners well and have not had to cut back. Having versatility and orders already in place has been very good for us.”
In August, Suniva announced it had solar cell orders from Solon AG of Germany for $500 million through 2012, and some $480 million in orders through 2013 from India’s Titan Energy.
Baumstark added that Suniva executives are currently negotiating with several other companies about additional deals.
"In the next two to three years, we expect the quality-price balance of our product will put us at grid parity at a dollar per watt,” Baumstark said, meaning that power from Suniva cells would cost about as much as buying power from the electric company.
Rohatgi said he will continue to work to make Suniva an important contributor to Georgia’s manufacturing base.
“It’s a very nice feeling to bring in new technology to Atlanta and to Georgia,” he said. “Suniva is the first solar-cell manufacturing company in the Southeast, and we want very much for it to be a complete success.”
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Moreover, Suniva expects to expand quickly. Using technology based on the research of Georgia Tech Regents’ Professor Ajeet Rohatgi, the company is presently manufacturing its ARTisun solar cells at a rate of 32 megawatts (MW) annually. Since an average U.S. home requires about 5 kilowatts of power, Suniva’s present annual output can furnish enough solar cells to supply about 6,300 homes, Rohatgi says.
Suniva plans to ramp up to an annual solar-cell output of nearly 100 MW – enough to power about 19,000 U.S. homes. The company currently employs about 70 people and expects to add more staff as it grows.
Suniva uses a patented technology it calls Star to extract maximum performance from wafers of monocrystalline silicon, a material often used for solar power generation.
A solar cell contains several layers, and every layer plays a role in the cell’s overall efficiency. Rohatgi has studied solar cells in depth for some 30 years, learning how to optimize each layer to get maximum output – at the least cost.
“We want to be right at the sweet spot,” said Rohatgi, who is both Suniva’s founder and chief technology officer. “We want cells that are highly efficient but low in cost, and that can generate power at a cost comparable to the power you buy from the electric company.”
Rohatgi’s solar-cell research has received significant funding over many years from the U.S. Department of Energy.
“Suniva is a shining example of how government support for research can lead to very real job creation,” said Robert Knotts, director of federal relations for Georgia Tech. “It’s a strong reminder of why we should invest in research.”
Suniva’s current solar-cell output falls in the 17- to 18-percent efficiency range, which Rohatgi classifies as high, especially in a lower-cost cell. But the company is continuing to improve its technology, and recently the National Renewable Energy Laboratory certified a new Suniva cell and cell structure at 20 percent efficiency, generally considered very high.
Suniva is a graduate of VentureLab, a Georgia Tech program supported by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) to foster young companies based on commercially promising research. In early 2008, Suniva joined the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), Georgia Tech’s science and technology incubator.
Georgia Tech’s VentureLab is part of Commercialization Services, a unit of Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute. Commercialization Services’ work involves identifying, evaluating and promoting Georgia Tech research discoveries that show commercial promise.
To date, Suniva has received total funding of $55.5 million from several venture capital organizations, including Menlo Park, Calif.-based New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Even more significant, Suniva now has contracts worth more than $1 billion through 2013, with more agreements expected.
Rohatgi, who runs the University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and Education in Georgia Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, admits he was hesitant when VentureLab and NEA began encouraging him in 2006 to start a solar-cell company. He told them it would be better to wait until he’d achieved even higher efficiencies in a low-cost cell.
“The VentureLab people were very helpful to me as I thought through the pros and cons of starting a company,” Rohatgi said. “I wanted to wait for 20 percent efficiency, but VentureLab and NEA executives convinced me that we already possessed a unique balance of efficiency and cost.”
Rohatgi said Suniva gained another advantage early on—a first-class management team.
“With the help of NEA and VentureLab, Suniva has assembled a great management team with enormous experience in running technology manufacturing companies,” he said. “I have to admit that being able to put together such a well-established team played a big role in my decision to start the company in August 2007.”
Suniva’s chairman and CEO, John W. Baumstark, is a technology-industry veteran with wide experience that includes serving as CEO of DWL before its acquisition by IBM and as chief operating officer of TRADEX Technologies before and during its acquisition by Ariba Inc. for $5.6 billion in 2000.
The company’s vice president of manufacturing, Stephen P. Shea, ran BP Solar’s manufacturing line for many years. Daniel L. Meier, vice president of research and development, has worked for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and has run R&D for two other companies.
Other top Suniva management includes CFO James M. Modak and vice president of marketing and sales J. Bryan Ashley.
According to Baumstark, Suniva’s expansion plans have not been hampered by global credit problems.
“We've been fortunate,” Baumstark said recently. “We've picked partners well and have not had to cut back. Having versatility and orders already in place has been very good for us.”
In August, Suniva announced it had solar cell orders from Solon AG of Germany for $500 million through 2012, and some $480 million in orders through 2013 from India’s Titan Energy.
Baumstark added that Suniva executives are currently negotiating with several other companies about additional deals.
"In the next two to three years, we expect the quality-price balance of our product will put us at grid parity at a dollar per watt,” Baumstark said, meaning that power from Suniva cells would cost about as much as buying power from the electric company.
Rohatgi said he will continue to work to make Suniva an important contributor to Georgia’s manufacturing base.
“It’s a very nice feeling to bring in new technology to Atlanta and to Georgia,” he said. “Suniva is the first solar-cell manufacturing company in the Southeast, and we want very much for it to be a complete success.”
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