GE Solar Technologies: Molded Wafer technology investments continue

Silicon-Film(TM) - By any other name.

I have confirmed GE Solar Technologies is still working on the renamed Molded Wafer technology. But GE Solar would not disclose Molded Wafer production capacity or any expansion plans. GE Solar Technologies is a part of the Renewables unit of GE Energy, which belongs to GE Infrastructure, a primary business unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE).

Here is a link to a recent, public PHOTON International article where they have the facts but nothing on the name change from Silicon-Film to Molded Wafer.

Armed with the new name, I was able to find a presentation, Overview of Solar Photovoltaic Markets and Technology, from Charles Korman, Chief Technologist, Solar Energy, GE Global Research Center (GRC). This was presented on March 28, 2006, as Lecture 9 to the MSE 542 Flexible Electronics class at Cornell University and provides a thoughtful overview of PV technology. There is one slide on Molded Silicon Wafer with no new information, but the presentation tips GRC interest in Nanostructured Solar Cells, Fluorescent Concentrator, Bifacial sliver solar cells, and PV Building Integrated Technology. On the Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) front, the presentation cites the Solar Integrated Technologies, Inc. (SEA:SIT) SR2001 Solar Electric Roofing System as an example of flexible roofing.

I also found this 2006 Senior Design Sponsor Project Description at the University of Delaware, Department of Mechanical Engineering. GE Energy is the sponsor of this Wafer Inspection Tool project: Develop an inspection tool for mapping thickness, warp, taper and flatness variations of molded polycrystalline silicon wafers used in photovoltaic solar cells.

There are now photovoltaic posts at the GE Global Research Blog, From Edison's Desk: Shining Light on Alternative Energy Technologies at Edison's Desk and Update from Wired NextFest as part of GE’s presenting sponsor participation at WIRED NextFest 2006.

Back on June 21, 2006, GE Solar introduced the Brilliance™ All-In-One Residential Solar System Package sized from 1kWp (1,000 Watt peak) to 10kWp with new BIPV 66Wp solar modules for roof-integrated new home construction or 200Wp solar modules for retrofit applications.

By the way, GE Solar is hiring. Check the Renewable Energy Jobs at RenewableEnergyAccess.com for example.