David Savastano, Editor09.21.11
The world of thin-film photovoltaics (PV) has been unusually active in recent months, as two large U.S. manufacturers filed for Chapter 11, both surrounded by controversy. Meanwhile, other thin-film PV manufacturers are receiving large capital investments, indicating their potential.
Evergreen Solar, a Marlboro, MA-based manufacturer, had drawn notice for its proprietary String Ribbon silicon technology. Solyndra, headquartered in Fremont, CA, developed its own copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) technology, which was manufactured in cylinders rather than sheets.
These two companies have something else in common: They both received government backing. The demise of Evergreen Solar drew notice because of its receipt of more than $50 million in subsidies from Massachusetts. Solyndra’s funding has become even more controversial, having received $527 million in federal loan guarantees from the U.S. plus millions more in tax breaks from California.
The reasons given for the two companies closing centered mainly on the decline in solar cell prices and increased competition from China. In actuality, in any market, some companies succeed while others fail.
It would be easy to take the lessons from Evergreen Solar and Solyndra and apply them to the entire solar market, but that would be inaccurate. The reality is that significant investment continues in thin-film PV technology; major corporations are betting on the future of solar cells.
This past week, SK Group, reported to be Korea’s third-largest industrial company, took a $50 million equity stake in HelioVolt. Like Solyndra, HelioVolt manufactures thin-film CIGS solar modules, although the company utilizes a proprietary low temperature printing process; unlike Solyndra, HelioVolt makes traditional modules that are flat.
In another major investment, Ascent Solar, a Thornton, CO-based roll-to-roll flexible CIGS manufacturer, announced that it signed an agreement with TFG Radiant Group, a major Chinese construction firm, in which TFG Radiant has committed more than $275 million plus royalties, as well as an additional $165 million to establish manufacturing facilities in East Asia. All told, TFG Radiant has committed more than $440 million, and will be able to leverage Ascent Solar’s technology into its construction markets.
There’s more. Total, the major French oil and gas producer, completed its acquisition of 60 percent of SunPower, San Jose, CA, for $1.3 billion in April, thus adding to its solar portfolio, which includes a large stake in Konarka, a leading organic PV (OPV) manufacturer. In June 2010, Stion, a CIGS manufacturer also headquartered in San Jose, announced a production partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest chip maker, and opened a new manufacturing plant in Hattiesburg, MS, earlier this year.
Essentially, these significant investments show that there remains great interest in PV. Ultimately, the technology will shake out, and some companies will move head while others fall back. The question, of course, is whose technology will succeed; either way, it is clear that many major international corporations are placing their resources into the solar marketplace.
Evergreen Solar, a Marlboro, MA-based manufacturer, had drawn notice for its proprietary String Ribbon silicon technology. Solyndra, headquartered in Fremont, CA, developed its own copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) technology, which was manufactured in cylinders rather than sheets.
Photo courtesy of Ascent Solar. |
The reasons given for the two companies closing centered mainly on the decline in solar cell prices and increased competition from China. In actuality, in any market, some companies succeed while others fail.
It would be easy to take the lessons from Evergreen Solar and Solyndra and apply them to the entire solar market, but that would be inaccurate. The reality is that significant investment continues in thin-film PV technology; major corporations are betting on the future of solar cells.
This past week, SK Group, reported to be Korea’s third-largest industrial company, took a $50 million equity stake in HelioVolt. Like Solyndra, HelioVolt manufactures thin-film CIGS solar modules, although the company utilizes a proprietary low temperature printing process; unlike Solyndra, HelioVolt makes traditional modules that are flat.
In another major investment, Ascent Solar, a Thornton, CO-based roll-to-roll flexible CIGS manufacturer, announced that it signed an agreement with TFG Radiant Group, a major Chinese construction firm, in which TFG Radiant has committed more than $275 million plus royalties, as well as an additional $165 million to establish manufacturing facilities in East Asia. All told, TFG Radiant has committed more than $440 million, and will be able to leverage Ascent Solar’s technology into its construction markets.
There’s more. Total, the major French oil and gas producer, completed its acquisition of 60 percent of SunPower, San Jose, CA, for $1.3 billion in April, thus adding to its solar portfolio, which includes a large stake in Konarka, a leading organic PV (OPV) manufacturer. In June 2010, Stion, a CIGS manufacturer also headquartered in San Jose, announced a production partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest chip maker, and opened a new manufacturing plant in Hattiesburg, MS, earlier this year.
Essentially, these significant investments show that there remains great interest in PV. Ultimately, the technology will shake out, and some companies will move head while others fall back. The question, of course, is whose technology will succeed; either way, it is clear that many major international corporations are placing their resources into the solar marketplace.