News

14 May 2009

 

Taiwan opens PV test center; demo solar farm to use III-Vs

Taiwan’s Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER), under the cabinet-level Atomic Energy Council, has inaugurated its photovoltaic testing center in the Kaohsiung Science Park in southern Taiwan, according to the Taiwan News.

The center’s laboratory will provide testing services in 17 categories for Taiwan's solar energy industry, and help local photovoltaic firms to obtain international certification and explore the overseas market, says INER.

INER director-general Yeh Taun-ran presided over the opening, which was witnessed by Kaohsiung County magistrate Yang Chiu-hsing; Atomic Energy Council chairman Tsai Chuen-horng; and Chen Chun-wei, director-general of the Southern Taiwan Science Park Administration, who also attended the groundbreaking for a demonstration solar farm in Lujhu township near the science park that is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

The 3.4-hectare farm will have the largest high-concentration photovoltaic system in Asia, reckons INER scientist Kuo Cherng-tsong, who is leading the demonstration project. Kuo says that the farm’s PV system will use high-efficiency III-V solar cells. Previously, in fourth-quarter 2008 INER ordered an AIX 2800G4 MOCVD reactor from Germany’s Aixtron, for delivery in first-quarter 2009 in 15x4-inch wafer configuration for its High Concentration Photovoltaic System R&D Project.

INER says its research results show that the new PV system not only offers higher efficiency in solar energy supply but can also reduce manufacturing costs.

The intention is that technology developed at the demonstration farm will be transferred to local companies.

Taiwan’s cabinet has mapped out a plan to upgrade the country’s renewable energy industry. The aim is to developing photovoltaic clusters so that Taiwan ranks among the top three solar cell producing countries in the world.

See related item:

Taiwan’s INER orders Aixtron MOCVD system for solar cells

Search: INER PV GaAs PV Aixtron AIX 2800G4

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