ECN, Deutsche Solar and Sunergy Investco join forces in solar electricity technology

The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), Deutsche Solar and Sunergy Investco have joined forces in RGS Development B.V. to contribute to the development of the next generation of solar electricity technology.

The Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), Deutsche Solar and Sunergy Investco have joined forces in RGS Development B.V. to contribute to the development of the next generation of solar electricity technology. The new company shall develop a facility to produce silicon wafers, cost efficiently and in large quantities, for the production of solar cells. The technology used is a process where molten silicon is cast by a frame on a re-usable conveyor belt.

This technology, called Ribbon-Growth-on-Substrate (RGS), was originally developed and patented by Bayer AG in Germany. In contrast to conventional production methods, in which the silicon is sawn into slices, the RGS method conserves the costly silicon in a very efficient manner. Further advantages of the new method are the low production costs (no losses or costs for sawing) and a very high production speed.

The market in the area of solar electricity has grown by 43% per year during the last 5 years. Of this market, more than 90% of the solar modules sold are based on silicon wafers. Countries such as Japan, Germany, China and Spain are preparing themselves for large-scale implementation of solar energy resulting in a rapid development of a new high-tech industry sector. Key of this development is the commitment of this industry to reduce manufacturing costs by application of large-scale cost-effective technology. In this race, the Netherlands is a desirable partner for future PV-technology, because of the strong know-how position of (among others) ECN. These cost reduction efforts will result  in solar electricity generation costs approaching consumer prices for electricity in Central Europe around 2015. In S-Europe this cost level will be reached within a few years from now.

RGS Development B.V.: international co-operation

ECN, Deutsche Solar (the successor of Bayer Solar) and Sunergy Investco have already worked together for several years to further develop the RGS technology. This is carried out in the RGSolar projects, which are supported by the Economy, Ecology & Technology (EET) funding programme of the Dutch government. An associated solar-cell process development project is being developed in a European context with support from the 5th-framework programme of the European Commission.

Solar cells from the conveyor belt

RGS stands for Ribbon-Growth-on-Substrate, a new technology in which molten silicon is cast in a frame.  A re-usable substrate is transported under the casting frame, on which the silicon solidifies as a thin foil. In contrast with conventional production methods where the silicon slices are cut from large silicon blocks, the RGS technology largely reduces the silicon material loss in the wafer fabrication step. Through this, the elimination of the sawing and the high throughput of the process, the wafer manufacturing costs will be significantly lowered.

The RGS process is demonstrated on two test-units that were built by Bayer AG and are now in use by ECN to improve the casting process and the wafer quality. The design of the first full continuously operated RGS machine has been finished and machine building has started. 

End of press release

 

Note for the editors:

For more information you can contact Axel Schönecker, RGS development B.V., telephone 0224-56 4740 or e-mail schonecker@remove-this-part-ecn.nl. For other questions you can contact Harold IJskes, press information ECN, telephone 0224 - 56 4050, mobile 06-127 98 123 or e-mail ijskes@remove-this-part-ecn.nl.

You can also contact Harold IJskes for copyright free photo's and an artist's impression of the RGS production facilities.

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