astroenegy and solco start thin film modules

July 28, 2009

Canberra, Australia: Astroenegy and Solco Start Marketing Thin Film Modules

Astronergy, a China company, and Solco Ltd are combining to bring Astronergy’s range of high quality panels to Australia. This includes Astronergy’s second-generation amorphous / microcrystalline silicon tandem thin film PV (a-Si/µc-Si) modules.

Astronergy has invested US$150 million into solar panel production, both crystalline silicon and thin film. The first 30 MW production of the tandem thin film solar modules will reach full capacity in Q4 this year, while crystalline silicon panels have been in production since 2006. Astronergy’s thin film conversion efficiency has reached 9% currently, and the goal is to achieve 10% conversion efficiency in the near future.

“Whether in terms of technology or in terms of scale, Astronergy is leading the market for high-end thin-film PV modules,” said Dr. Liyou Yang, who is the President and CEO of Astronergy.

Yang spent 20 years in thin-film R&D, including an earlier role at BP Solar. He holds 18 patents in the field.

Launching this collaboration at the Australian industry’s annual ATRAA conference in Canberra, Mark Norman Solco’s CEO and Managing Director said “The collaboration between Astronergy and Solco Ltd’s subsidiary Solco Choice Electric will bring a quality and competitively-priced range of modules onto the Australia market. I am personally convinced that the Astronergy manufacturing process for the traditional crystalline modules is one of the best that I have seen anywhere in the world, and the new thin film product opens up many opportunities for large scale deployment across commercial and industrial rooves and facades.”

source :
http://www.solarbuzz.com/news/NewsASMA245.htm