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Emcore Corp of Albuquerque, NM, USA has entered into a $28m supply agreement with South Korean concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) system maker ES System Co Ltd for solar cell receivers, for deployment in fully licensed and funded solar farms.

The agreement incorporates an advance deposit to ensure production priority, and will enable the installation of 70MW of solar farms. Production has started and shipments are due to occur over the next 24 months, with provisions for accelerated deliveries as well as future purchase options under the same terms.

Emcore recently introduced a line of integrated CPV solar cell products optimized for operation at 500-1000x concentration, providing terrestrial systems integrators with a complete photovoltaic solution (since Emcore’s CPV receiver can be integrated into existing CPV systems).

“This purchase order further diversifies our growing terrestrial component backlog, which now exceeds $110m,” says David Danzilio, VP and general manager of Emcore’s Photovoltaics Division. “Our second automated receiver assembly line has entered into volume production and we expect to commence shipments from the third receiver line in June,” he adds. “Combined with the recently completed CPV solar cell capacity expansion, this assembly capability positions Emcore as the only vertically integrated CPV receiver manufacturer to the global concentrating photovoltaics industry,” he claims.

“Our long-standing record of low-cost manufacturing and deployment of complex PV systems, including our previous success in the silicon solar power fields, assures our significant contribution in meeting the growing need for affordable renewable energy,” reckons ES’ chief operating officer James Park.

The Korean Government recently announced an increase in the total installed capacity target from 100MW to 500MW while maintaining the solar power feed-in tariff at 677 won per kw-hr for systems deployed before October, stimulating an acceleration of solar farm installation in the country. ES is responding to robust sales of their solar CPV systems and currently is also procuring Emcore receivers under an existing supply agreement from Green and Gold Energy (GGE) of Adelaide, Australia (in late February, GGE ordered $39m of receiver Emcore’s assemblies for deployment in its SunCube CPV systems through its worldwide licensees).

GGE has recently been encouraging direct supply relationships between their major licensees (such as ES) and Emcore. So, all the Emcore solar cell receivers now ordered directly by ES are being integrated into its CPV units at their manufacturing facilities in Gwang-Ju, South Korea. Emcore says that it expects more orders from GGE’s licensees under similar terms in the near future.

See related items:

Emcore to deploy CPV systems with China’s XinAo

Emcore wins $4.6m follow-on order for CPV receiver assemblies

Emcore’s CPV order boom to drive spin-off

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