Dave Savastano10.14.10
Nanosolar reaffirmed its mission to compete with fossil fuel electricity generation by targeting to become the world's lowest-cost producer of solar panels within the next three years.
The company is announcing the expansion of its San Jose, CA solar cell factory to 115 MW nameplate capacity by the fall of 2011. The next-generation, printed CIGS and nanoparticle ink manufacturing lines minimize the use of expensive, vacuum-based manufacturing equipment. Nanosolar’s solar cell factory will provide solar cells to Nanosolar’s solar panel factory in Luckenwalde, Germany.
Combined, Nanosolar’s cell and panel factories will support Nanosolar Utility Panel production of 20+ MW in 2011 at 10%-11% efficiencies. In 2012, the factories will produce greater than 100 MW of panels at up to 12% efficiency.
Recently, Nanosolar’s first commercially operational production line produced panels measured and certified at 11.2% and 11.4% efficiency by NREL in Golden, CO and 11.6% efficiency by Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg, Germany. Nanosolar is currently the world record holder for printed solar cell efficiency at 15.3% total-area efficiency (16.4% active-area efficiency) for lab cells.
Nanosolar is funding its solar cell factory expansion with its existing cash reserves. The company plans to reach cash-flow positive operations in 2012 without having to raise additional equity capital.
The company is announcing the expansion of its San Jose, CA solar cell factory to 115 MW nameplate capacity by the fall of 2011. The next-generation, printed CIGS and nanoparticle ink manufacturing lines minimize the use of expensive, vacuum-based manufacturing equipment. Nanosolar’s solar cell factory will provide solar cells to Nanosolar’s solar panel factory in Luckenwalde, Germany.
Combined, Nanosolar’s cell and panel factories will support Nanosolar Utility Panel production of 20+ MW in 2011 at 10%-11% efficiencies. In 2012, the factories will produce greater than 100 MW of panels at up to 12% efficiency.
Recently, Nanosolar’s first commercially operational production line produced panels measured and certified at 11.2% and 11.4% efficiency by NREL in Golden, CO and 11.6% efficiency by Fraunhofer ISE in Freiburg, Germany. Nanosolar is currently the world record holder for printed solar cell efficiency at 15.3% total-area efficiency (16.4% active-area efficiency) for lab cells.
Nanosolar is funding its solar cell factory expansion with its existing cash reserves. The company plans to reach cash-flow positive operations in 2012 without having to raise additional equity capital.