Concentrix Solar nears FLATCON Module volume production

Ramping new 25 MW (MegaWatt) production line in September 2008

Since Concentrix Concentrator PhotoVoltaic System achieves 23% Efficiency, Concentrix Solar GmbH announced the same High-efficiency FLATCON® technology enters industrial-scale production (Deutsch) last Friday, August 15, 2008. Concentrix is moving across the town of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, to a new 4000 square meter production and service space located in a portion of the former Spectral Lichttechnik building at the Auf der Haid industrial park.

Concentrix’s new factory will produce CPV (Concentrator PhotoVoltaic) FLATCON modules using an automated 25 MW production line leveraging two (2) years of experience operating their 1 MW pilot line. Concentrix claims “the infrastructure is already in place to step up production to 50 MW.” The new facility is expected to create 150 new jobs augmenting Concentrix’s fifty (50) or so employees.

With new production capacity in place, Concentrix is keen on expanding sales and will exhibit at the upcoming 23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC) in Valencia, Spain. Regarding the new production facility, CEO Hansjörg Lerchenmüller said:

It means we can at last meet the strong demand for our systems. High-efficiency concentrator photovoltaic systems will play a key role in the sunbelt because high efficiencies are a key to lowering costs. We are certainly well prepared for the future and can now additionally take on large power plant projects in the 1 to 10 MW range.

Per two German articles, Sonne gebündelt and Concentrix zieht auf die Haid, Concentrix turned down a 30 to 50% capital investment incentive from the German state of Saxony to move their mass production east. Concentrix cited their existing supplier network, partners (such as Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems), the attractiveness of Freiburg to future employees, and the immediate availability of the Spectral building as their rationale for staying put in Freiburg. Concentrix was said to be spending €2 million to alter the former Spectral building to suit their needs.

The CPV Consortium has a landing page for the Website Under Construction along with a CPV Consortium Membership Application for those interested in joining.

Concentrix Concentrator PhotoVoltaic System achieves 23% Efficiency

From sunlight to AC (Alternating Current)

On June 6, 2008, Concentrix Solar GmbH announced in 23% Solar Electricity Production fed into utility grid (Deutsch) their CPV (Concentrator PhotoVoltaic) system based on FLATCON technology had:

During the measurement period in May 2008, AC system efficiencies of 23% and higher were measured under normal operating conditions for a demonstration system located at the test site of the new partner Abengoa Solar in Seville, Spain.

The 23% or better AC efficiency reflects the actual electricity fed into the grid after sunlight is first converted into DC (Direct Current) by the photovoltaic modules and then into AC by the inverter under actual field conditions.

Concentrix claims this optimized 5.6 kWp (kilowatt-peak) CPV system includes a “new generation of improved concentrator PV modules” and mentions the inverter is also important to achieve the record efficiency. Data regarding these improved concentrator PV modules was first presented by Dr. Andreas Bett at PVSC 33 (33rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference) in the paper, OUTDOOR EVALUATION OF FLATCON® MODULES AND SYSTEMS.

The optimized CPV system is supposed to be on sale in Spain this Fall 2008 from Concentrix Iberia, a joint venture company of Concentrix and Abengoa Solar (see Abengoa Solar and Concentrix Solar team up to create Concentrix Iberia). Along with Good Energies, Abengoa Solar participated in the cryptic, second Successful financing round completed and new cooperation partner for Concentrix for an undisclosed amount.

In an update to ISFOC First Phase 1.7 MegaWatt Installations Underway, Concentrix said:

Just a few weeks ago in the province Castilla-La Mancha, Concentrix successfully installed the first 100 kW system within the Spanish ISFOC project that is ready to be connected to the grid.

Concentrix is now constructing a 25 MW (MegaWatt) production line in Freiburg, Germany, and plans to start operations in Fall 2008, an apparent delay from the previous goal of “start up by mid-2008”.

In my first update since GUNTHER Portfolio Hiatus, my hip fracture has now healed, and I was cleared to walk again last Thursday. Let the real physical therapy begin! Alas, I will miss attending Intersolar 2008 this week, but I was sure I was not up to the task. I have also enjoyed attending the pre-Intersolar PV Industry Forum (2008), and CEO Hansjörg Lerchenmüller is one of the experts at the PV Industry Forum in Munich (Deutsch).

ISFOC First Phase 1.7 MegaWatt Installations Underway

Tracking progress by Concentrating PhotoVoltaic (CPV) companies SolFocus, Concentrix Solar, and Isofotón.

On January 15, 2008, with SolFocus First to Install Solar Array for 3 MW Spanish CPV Project, SolFocus, Inc. and ISFOC, Instituto de Sistemas Fotovoltaicos de Concentración S.A. or Institute of Concentration Photovoltaics Systems, announced the completion of the first CPV solar array for the 3MW (MegaWatt) ISFOC project. For background on ISFOC, please see ISFOC 1.3MW CPV Power Plant tenders made public.

First SolFocus array at Puertollano, Castilla La Mancha – Spain

Photo Credit: SolFocus, Inc.

SolFocus’ first array has been installed near ISFOC in Puertollano, Castilla La Mancha – Spain, as part of the initial 200kW (kiloWatt) of their total 500kW ISFOC award. Per SolFocus:

SolFocus broke ground at the ISFOC Puertollano site in October of last year with the civil construction and underground electrical work. The SolFocus array that is installed is rated at 6.2kW and has performed over its design output, which is significant at the early stage of this project.

Photo Credit: Concentrix Solar GmbH

As of last Monday, Concentrix Solar’s CPV solar array installation at ISFOC in Puertollano was also moving forward, and Concentrix had completed 12 trackers with 5.75kW each for the project as shown in the above photo. These look similar to the main tracking solar arrays in Concentrix Solar Concentrator Proving Ground Slideshow.

Outside of ISFOC, per Concentrix Solar awarded the "Innovation Award of the German Economy" (Deutsch):

Concentrix Solar GmbH was awarded the 28th "Innovation Award of the German Economy" in the category of "Start-Up Companies", distinguishing it as the company with the most promising innovation.

I also contacted Isofotón S.A., a subsidiary of the private Grupo Bergé, for an update on their installations in Puertollano. While Isofotón understood my request, they chose not to reply. Here is the last official news from Isofotón about the ISFOC project: Isofoton, first international company to pass tests required by the ISFOC, within the frameworks of the Standard EIC62108 certification for photovoltaic concentration modules (Español).

Alas, the big CPV news last week was from EMCORE Corporation (NASDAQ:EMKR) with a pair of deals including a 200MW to 700MW MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with solar new comer SunPeak Solar, LLC and several Spanish market agreements totaling $18 million. Here are the press releases:

EMCORE Corporation Enters Into A Multi-Year Agreement To Supply Solar Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems for Utility Scale Power Projects In The Southwestern US
EMCORE Receives Additional Orders To Supply Spanish Market With Its Concentrator Solar Photovoltaic Components And Systems

Please see Concentrating on the Southwest Sun by Rachel Barron at Greentech Media for background on the EMCORE deal with SunPeak Solar.

I think an EMCORE MOU with a brand new photovoltaic project developer deserves further scrutiny. No financial terms or Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) were disclosed in the press release. At least the Southwestern United States has significant direct solar resources for CPV.

Solar Light Flashes: December 31, 2007

Select Photovoltaic News Tidbits

In this final Solar Light Flashes of 2007, I need to catch up on accumulated tidbits I’ve collected over the past few months.

Advent Solar, Inc.
If recent events at Miasolé regarding former CEO David Pearce are the precedent (see Former Miasolé Employees Confirm Cuts by Jennifer Kho at Greentech Media), then Advent Solar Appoints Peter Green as new President and CEO, tends to indicate Rusty Schmit’s days with Advent may be numbered despite the claim:

Company founder Rusty Schmit will remain a member of the Board of Directors in an active role focused on strategic initiatives and will be working with Peter to ensure a smooth transition.

This development also lends credence to anonymous rumors the retooling and layoffs are masking process issues.

Blue Square Energy
While I was on my best behavior at the Dow Jones VentureWire Alternative Energy Innovations 2007 conference in Redwood City, California, AlternativeEnergy.com captured this video of Blue Square Energy (BSE) President and CEO Jeff Barnett’s presentation.

Concentrix Solar GmbH
In the under reported Concentrix passes all tests required for starting construction of its 500 kW power plant in Spain (October 2007), the company’s 5.75 kW prototype system passed ISFOC, Instituto de Sistemas Fotovoltaicos de Concentración S.A. or Institute of Concentration Photovoltaics Systems, required qualification tests including draft IEC standard 62108 D8d (now IEC 62108 Ed. 1.0). Construction of the 200 kW Puertollano, Castilla La Mancha – Spain, installation was supposed to begin in early November 2007.

Greentech Media
Greentech Media: Conversations has so far rolled out two of a six part discussion series with Dr. Richard Swanson, co-founder, President, and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of SunPower Corporation. Since the series is sponsored by SunPower and mirrored over at the SunPower website as the Richard Swanson Podcast Series, this series has the appearance of an infomercial. Then again, what photovoltaic company would want to sponsor a series about a competitor? Nonetheless, I am sure these podcasts with Dr. Swanson are worth a listen.

Izusu Glass Co., Ltd.
DigInfo (Digitized Information, Inc.) has a short video about Izusu Glass compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) produced using a glass mold process to reduce manufacturing costs.

Oerlikon Solar
I just noticed this public relations Oerlikon Solar Image Film on the website available via streaming (English, Deutsch) or download. And here is an apparent bootleg video Report on solar energy from CASH-TV in German (Deutsch) aired back on October 7, 2007. Oerlikon Solar is a business segment of OC Oerlikon Corporation AG (VTX:OERL).

REC Solar Grade Silicon LLC
This REC Silicon Groundbreaking video by Grant County EDC showed up on YouTube before Christmas even though the ceremony to mark the construction of the new Solar Grade Silicon manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington USA, was held way back on August 16, 2006.

A few updated photos of the construction are posted on the Grant County Economic Development Council website at REC Silicon Project. Slated to ramp in the second half of 2008, the new plant is based on a proprietary FBR (Fluidized Bed Reactor) process and will add 6500 MT (Metric Tons) of granular Solar Grade Silicon production capacity. REC Solar Grade Silicon LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (OSL:REC).

Solarvalue AG
The stockings of Solarvalue AG (XETRA:SV7) shareholders were empty this Christmas. No (char)coal, wood chips, quartz, or Solar Grade Silicon (SGS) sample material from a US lab. But did the Solarvalue ÜberBull get high sulfur coal from Santa Claus?

Two series begun in 2007 remain unfinished. I have noticed significant interest in Timminco Limited: O Canada! Solar Grade Silicon, Eh? – Part 1. This is a top priority at the start of 2008, and I have two additional parts planned. There was also supposed to be a Part 3 after Sunways goes its own Silicon ways – Part 2 to cover the Automotive solar segment of Sunways. I have the material but just have not gotten to the write up.

Once again I wish everyone a Happy New Year 2008 and may it be happy and prosperous for us all.

Sol3g secures Triple Junction Solar Cells from Azur Space

Almost 8 million III-V Triple Junction Solar Cells!

On July 25, 2007, Sol3g, S.L. and AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH entered into a supply agreement for 44,000 wafers of III-V Triple Junction solar cells over the next three (3) years. The 44,000 wafers represent the equivalent of about 8 million cells or 30MWp (MegaWatt-peak) of HCPV (High Concentration PhotoVoltaic) solar modules. Each wafer is 10cm (centimeters) in diameter with 178 cells per wafer.

Please see Sol3g and Azur Space sign a contract for the supply of triple-junction concentration cells for the official press release.

Sol3g states this supply agreement will cover their HCPV solar module production for the next three years. Since Sol3g is now ramping 5MWp per year of annual production capacity, this agreement confirms Sol3g’s plans to more than double this production capacity over the next three years.

This photo supplied by Sol3g shows Dr. Klaus-Dieter Rasch (left), Managing Director of Azur Space, and Ricard Pardell (right), Managing Director of Sol3g, sealing the deal with a ceremonial handshake.

At first, solar cells designed for space applications are being supplied with 32% efficiency at 380 suns. Azur is in the process of optimizing the solar cell device structure for operation in terrestrial applications with Air Mass 1.5 Direct (AM1.5D) solar spectral irradiance. With these optimizations, Azur expects to increase the average production solar cell efficiency to 35% in 2007 and 37% in 2008 both at 380 suns.

Sol3g joins SolFocus (SolFocus deal with Boeing (Spectrolab) ) and Solar Systems Pty Ltd (Solar Systems and Boeing enter Agreement) in announcing significant supply deals for III-V Triple Junction Solar Cells for HCPV solar applications although both of these deals were with efficiency leader Spectrolab, a Boeing company. Concentrix Solar has yet to announce a supply deal with long time partner Azur Space.

In related news, SolFocus has moved out of the PARC palace and located their new headquarters offices in Mountain View, California USA.

Concentrix Solar Concentrator Proving Ground Slideshow

Here is a slideshow of the Concentrix Solar FLATCON® Concentrator Test Field located next to the Solar Info Center in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. This was a short ten minute walk from the Messe Freiburg where Intersolar 2007 was held.

All of the trackers are 2-axis for the FLATCON modules. I have not been able to establish a dialog with Concentrix so I do not know if the two alternative tracker configurations are new or old designs under evaluation.

I was able to squeeze this visit in after lunch between the strange Intersolar 2007 weather with daily morning and afternoon rain showers timed to arriving and leaving the Messe.

This slideshow is brought to you by Google’s Embed Slideshow feature for Picasa Web Albums.