Large scale production of silicon solar cells at Q-Cells AG in Thalheim: History, Status and Future Prospects Nils Waterstrat, Key Account Manager at Q-Cells AG Welcome at Q-Cells
Ramp-up years: Q-Cells AG 2001-2005 L4(2005) L3(2004) L2(2003) L1(2001) Focussed, specialised, independent producer of high performance crystalline solar cells - founded November 1999 in Berlin - since 2001 production in Thalheim, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany 2
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Ramp-up years: Product concept Q for Quality Cells designed to maximise overall system performance/cost through: - High power performance ( cell efficiency, energy yield) - Larger formats, thinner cells - Quality and processability 4
Ramp-up years: Products Q6LTT Multi - 156mm x 156mm x 220µm, high efficient multicrystalline cell, acidic textured -> 200µm in 2005 - Alternative: Q6L Multi 156mm x 156mm x 220µm alkaline etched Q6L-M Mono 10% more efficiency - High aesthetical appearance 210mm Q8TT 2&3&4 bus bars - The new standard, 80% more power per cell Back contact Q8BC - Advantageous for innovative module technologies Others - Qi: 3 bus bars 4 inch replacement for consumer products R&D on: 17% multi and 20% mono cells 5
Ramp-up years: product innovations Product : Q5 ( 2001 ) -> Q6 ( 2002 ) -> Q8 (2004 ) power: 100 % 144% 280% -> lower production cost over the whole value chain Q5 (off) Q6LTT/Q6L-M Q8TT3 Q8BC 6
Ramp-up years: Benefits from a partnership with Q-Cells Largest European Cell producer - Fastest capacity growth among strong competitors focussing on a fully automated cell production only Innovative product strategy - The six inch cells Q6 and Q6L introduced in 2002/2004 are copied by almost all European competitors now - Cooperation with leading European Photovoltaic Institutes: Univ. of Konstanz, HMI Berlin, ECN Petten, Fraunhofer ISE/ISFH - Customer oriented product development based on a wide experience on PV module production of the Q-Cells team Germany based company - Germany is the world fastest growing PV market giving a sustainable push on the further technology development - Advanced semiconductor production equipment supplied and serviced by German machine suppliers 7
Ramp-up years: Facts & Figures Facts and figures 2001 2002 2003 2004 Capacity MWp/a 12 17 48 170 Production MWp/a 0,4 9 28 76 Turnover Mio. 0,9 17,6 49 129 Employees 39 82 208 484 2005 (Plan) Investor relations - 5 VCs - 24,9% of shares in CSG Solar (crystalline silicon thin film) and EverQ (string ribbon) 8
Actual status: The Firing-through SiN x with Al BSF process Wafer Wet Etch (alkaline or acidic) Phosphorous CVD Diffusion Edge isolation (plasma or wet) HF Etch Deoxidation Silicon Nitride ARC (PECVD) Screen printing Ag + Al BSF Firing-Through SiNx Testing & Sorting Laser scribing Line 4 Cell 9
Ramp-up years: chancellor visit in June 2005 4th Line: inaugurated in March 2005 10
Prospects 2005-2010 2005 2006-2010 Efficiency Format Thickness Multi 15% av Mono 16,6% av 156mmx156mm Standard 240-270µm >17% >19% +210mmx210mm < 150µm Contacting Standard New Contacts New Technologies Thin film, String Ribbon and??? 11
Prospects 2005-2010 2005 2006-2010 Efficiency Format Thickness Multi 15% av Mono 16,6% av 156mmx156mm Standard 240-270µm >17% >19% +210mmx210mm < 150µm Contacting Standard New Contacts New Technologies Thin film, String Ribbon and??? 12
Key Challenges Technology improvements. are required?! Material/ingots: Crystallisation improvements Saw/Wafers: Getting down to <150µm, yield improvement Cell technology Surface treatment Process for very thin cells New contacting schemes (Back contact, adhesion etc.) New high efficiency concepts 13
Future Technology Approaches: 2006 CSG EverQ -> Q-Cells offers joint-ventures to promising partners in thick and thin film technology 14
The industry expects the c-si technologies to maintain dominance for the foreseeable future : thin film would first be relevant from 2010 Market Size ( GWp) 0,45 1,0 3,7 12 35 112 380 The Industry viewpoint 100% Technology Trend 90% 80% 70% % of World Market 60% 50% 40% 30% 20%??? "New Concepts" thin-film c-si 10% 0% 2002 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 Source : EPIA / RWE Schott, Growth projection 30% p.a. to 2010, thereafter 25 % p.a. 15
16 Future Technology Approaches follow the Q-Cells Mission: Photovoltaics will develop to an economic and sustainable energy source of the near future
Thank you n.waterstrat@q-cells.com