Sonnenstromfabrik ætlar að framleiða 300MW af sólareiningum í Þýskalandi með einkaleyfi á REC tækni

Bernhard Weilharter, framkvæmdastjóri Sonnenstromfabrik (CS Wismar GmbH), sagði við tímaritið pv að fyrirtækið sé að auka 200MW sólareiningarframleiðslu sína í Wismar, Þýskalandi, þar á meðal nýja 300MW framleiðslulínu. Fyrirtækið stefnir á að auka framleiðslu á öðrum ársfjórðungi þessa árs, með fjöldaframleiðslu á þriðja ársfjórðungi.

The German company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Norway-based REC Group, under which the parties intend to enter into a mutual cooperation agreement to implement the latter's patented split solar cell and junction box technology (EP 3 017 520 ) for the manufacture of two new PERC module products with half-cut solar cells and large-format wafers. The partnership agreement will also include a license to REC's EP 3 017 520 patent.

Talking about the reasons for the collaboration, Verhart said it was "inevitable" due to the ever-increasing wafer size. "The battery has to be cut to reduce the current to a level that the inverter can handle," he said. "REC's innovative technology is widely recognized in the industry for performance and efficiency."

Sonnenstromfabrik's original plan was to launch products on larger wafers at a later stage; however, this was brought forward, and in 2020 the company received board approval to purchase new equipment.

Unfortunately, there are no machines in Europe capable of handling wafer sizes above 166mm. "We knew that battery makers were moving towards 210mm or even 220mm, so we would either buy Asian equipment or develop our own," Verhart said. In the end, the company opted to partner with an Italian manufacturer, Build new stringers and interconnect equipment that can handle wafer sizes up to 220mm.

Weilharter continued: "Our plan is to have a new module design based on 210mm wafers in the third dicing cell design, very similar to what you see today." However, support for these larger size inverters Technological developments have not kept pace, and Sonnenstromfabrik has found that many existing products cannot handle the higher currents.

As a result, the company changed its product development strategy from a modular design using 210mm wafers and third dicing cells to a design using 182mm wafers and half dicing cells. "That's basically where the challenge starts," Verhart said, "because that would require us to use REC's patented half-cut design."

Sonnenstromfabrik fann ekki tæknilegan valkost og hafði samband við REC til að athuga hvort hægt væri að ná viðskiptasamningi.

Agnieszka Schulze, spokesperson for REC Solar EMEA GmbH, told pv magazine, "While we need to protect our technology, a consultative agreement like this is the best way for everyone because our efforts and investments are recognized, but At the same time, we support a stronger adoption of innovative solar photovoltaic technologies for the benefit of consumers."

In addition to the parties avoiding any patent disputes, REC will provide Sonnenstromfabrik with consulting services under this agreement. "This gave us a head start and a stable solution for us and our customers for the next two years," explains Verhardt.