News

13 October 2010

 

Solar Frontier enters global CIS module supply agreement with GE

Solar Frontier, a subsidiary of Japanese energy business Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K., is to supply its proprietary CIS (copper, indium, selenium) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules in the form of GE-branded panels as part of US firm GE’s globally marketed portfolio of solar energy solutions. In return, GE will provide its power plant expertise to enhance development of Solar Frontier’s CIS technology for use in utility-scale installations.

Solar Frontier says that GE testing and benchmarking determined that its modules offered a combination of performance and efficiency that meets the established standards of GE’s global brand.

“By teaming up with a billion-dollar global industry leader, Solar Frontier demonstrates that the solar market has matured to support large-scale players,” says Solar Frontier’s president & CEO Shigeaki Kameda. The modules will be part of GE’s utility-scale solar projects. The contract will ensure that its customers have a reliable supply of thin-film solar modules for large ground-mount and roof-top installations. 

“Our modules have been proven in field tests since 2003, and we will have gigawatt-scale production online by next year,” says Kameda. “For a stable, mature solar market, we have to combine reliable panels with reliable supply chains,” he adds.  

The modules will be manufactured at Solar Frontier’s automated production plant in Miyazaki, Japan, which was opened at the beginning of this month. Starting operation next year, it is scheduled to become the world’s largest PV factory (at 900MW) when the third phase of production comes online later in the year.

The agreement with Solar Frontier was included in GE’s announcement of an expanded portfolio of highly differentiated solar solutions that aim to establish GE as the “global leader in the renewable energy space”, offering both leading technology and “the unique bankability that comes with one of the world’s leading brands.”

See related items:

Showa Shell unveils 2nd-gen CIS PV panel with 16% cell efficiency

Search: Solar Frontier CIS module GE

Visit: www.gepower.com

Visit: www.solar-frontier.com

For more: Latest issue of Semiconductor Today