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News

12 June 2007

 

Johanna Solar’s CIGSSe modules to be distributed by aleo

Johanna Solar Technology GmbH (JST) of Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany has granted the right to distribute up to 80% of its CIGSSe (copper indium gallium sulfur selenide) thin-film solar modules for at least five years to aleo solar AG of Oldenburg in Lower Saxony, Germany (under the name ‘aleo’). Both firms will cooperate in the product launch: aleo will be responsible for product branding, while Johanna Solar Technology will be responsible for technology branding (products will bear the label “made by Johanna”).

JST has been constructing its production plant since the beginning of this year, and this is its first sales partnership. “This agreement opens up excellent sales perspectives for us, so that we can concentrate fully on the imminent start of production,” says JST’s managing director Jeroen Haberland. aleo will introduce the prototype of the new module in September at the 22nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference in Milan, Italy.

“We acquired an interest of 19% in Johanna Solar Technology early on [in 2006] in order to ensure our access to this thin film technology,” says Jakobus Smit, chairman of aleo’s management board. The new agreement also gives aleo access to the modules, he adds. “Interest in these modules is extremely high in all of aleo solar's markets. The thin-film solar modules are the second quality product in our portfolio that we plan to market in large quantities.”

Formed in 2001, aleo manufactures solar modules using silicon-based photovoltaic cells in Prenzlau, Brandenburg, with an annual capacity of 90MW (making it one of the largest solar module production plants), and, since the beginning of 2007, in Santa María de Palautordera, Spain, with an annual capacity of 10MW.

“CIGSSe technology permits high levels of efficiency, thus ensuring that crystalline [silicon] solar modules do not outperform our modules,” says Haberland. “We are glad to have in aleo solar a long-established company on our side, one with a strong premium brand,” he adds. “We have the know-how in thin-film technology and aleo solar has the competence in module marketing.”

“These modules are a very good fit for aleo,” says Smit. “Thin-film solar modules perform exceedingly well in hot environments as well, making them perfect for our internationalization strategy in Southern Europe.”

See related item:

Emerging PV technologies growing at 43% annually

Visit Johanna Solar: http://www.johanna-solar.com

Visit aleo: http://www.aleo-solar.de