EANS-News: centrotherm photovoltaics succeeds ISE-certified solar cell with sensational 20 percent efficiency

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Company Information

Subtitle: • Company presents product innovations and updates
along the solar value chain at leading EU PVSEC photovoltaic trade
fair • All technological developments focus on higher
efficiencies and lower operating costs • Major order for
multi-crystalline ingot furnaces from Taiwan for centrotherm SiTec

Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) - August 30, 2011 - At this year's 26th
European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU
PVSEC: September 5 to 8, 2011, in Hamburg) centrotherm photovoltaics
AG is presenting technology and systems boosting efficiency along the
photovoltaic value chain. There is great demand for efficiency
enhancements and lower operating costs in view of the intensely
competitive market environment among solar cell and module
manufacturers. The globally leading technology and equipment provider
is responding to these demand from its customers with
state-of-the-art production systems and corresponding upgrade and
retrofit packages.

Solar Cell & Module product update "We are on the way to 20 percent
cell efficiencies in industrial production. We have already reached
this magic threshold in the laboratory, and we have current ISE
certification for a sensational 20.00 percent efficiency level," was
how Dr. Peter Fath, CTO at centrotherm photovoltaics AG, expressed
his delight at this development. This peak value was achieved on the
basis of centaurus rear side technology developed by centrotherm
photovoltaics. The reference surface area is the industry standard
wafer size of 156 mm x 156 mm on mono-crystalline silicon. "We will
be working flat out on transferring these excellent figures to mass
production," commented Dr. Fath. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar
Energy Systems ISE is Europe's largest solar research institution,
and is regarded as the leading inspection and certification
institution for the photovoltaic sector.

centrotherm photovoltaics identifies enormous potential in the Solar
Cell & Module area for both its selective emitter and centaurus rear
side upgrade technologies. Up to 800 of a global total of around
1,000 solar cell production lines can be retrofitted to improve their
costs and boost their efficiency. The centaurus rear side technology
is currently being installed at a major Chinese state company with
the aim of achieving more than 19 percent cell efficiency in mass
production.

Silicon & Wafer product innovations centrotherm SiTec, a company in
which the centrotherm photovoltaics Group bundles its silicon
expertise, is presenting a newly developed Medium Voltage Ignition
System (MVI) in the polysilicon power supply area. This MVI was
specially developed to optimize CVD reactors' production start for
polysilicon manufacturing. By contrast with conventional CVD reactor
pre-heating technology, the MVI ignites the slim rods within a
significantly shorter process time, thereby enabling higher
production capacities and lower operating costs. The fully automated
process and a contamination-free environment compared to predecessor
technology comprise further advantages. All CVD reactors that are
currently in operation can be retrofitted with the MVI technology.

With its ingot squaring and brick cropping systems, centrotherm SiTec
GmbH is presenting two key equipment items for integrated ingot and
wafer production. The automated ingot squaring system saws the
multi-crystalline ingots into bricks. The brick cropping system cuts
these bricks to the precise corresponding length. Wafers are later
produced from these bricks. Both systems deploy state-of-the-art
diamond wire saw technology that enables the highest- precision
incisions accompanied by maximum productivity and optimized
manufacturing costs, and both the squaring and cropping systems can
also be configured to saw mono-crystalline ingots and bricks.

Ahead of the EU PVSEC, centrotherm SiTec received a major order from
Taiwan to supply multi-crystalline ingot furnaces to produce ingots
with an annual capacity of around 140 MW peak. The order volume lies
in the single-digit range in millions of euros. The first
multi-crystalline ingot furnaces will be shipped in October, with the
last delivery occurring in the first quarter of 2012.

Thin Film Module product update In the Thin Film area, two news items
are set to form the focus of positive discussion: centrotherm
photovoltaics has successfully concluded the development of its new
second-generation selenium (Se) systems to manufacture CIGS thin film
modules. The systems have reached and exceeded the planned
performance improvements in terms of homogeneity and uptime in
acceptance tests at Blaubeuren, Germany. These systems will also be
offered in the future as single equipment items to produce thin film
modules. centrotherm photovoltaics' selenium and sputtering systems
comprise key equipment items to manufacture thin film modules that
can be adapted in line with customer wishes.

The second news item comes from the Far East: the efficiency of the
CIGS thin film module from centrotherm photovoltaics' production line
at Sunshine in Taiwan has been continuously enhanced in the direction
of 11 percent. The modules (1,400 x 1,100 mm²) can achieve output of
more than 150 W peak. The developers have also paid particular
attention to the environmental aspect of the centrotherm CIGS
technology: the process management utilizes nonhazardous and
recyclable elementary selenium instead of highly toxic hydrogen
selenide (H2Se).

Inspection systems product innovation GP Solar GmbH, a wholly-owned
centrotherm photovoltaics subsidiary, is taking the opportunities
offered by the EU PVSEC to showcase three innovations for the quality
assurance of solar cells and modules. With the GP Solar Inspect
CHROME, a completely revised product line for in-line measuring
technology is being launched on the market that is distinguished by
numerous improvements in terms of hardware and software. An in-house
development in the camera optics area enables the spectral analysis
of wafers, cells and modules, and thereby the highest level of
measuring precision for innovative processes such as selective
emitters or rear side contacts. The new software enables the live
defect analysis of up to 600 samples, and renders the smallest
process problems visible. The software will also be fitted with a
Chinese-language user interface in the future.

The GP TOPO-D .Scan represents a global product innovation: this is
an in-line inspection system that measures the entire topography of
wafers and solar cells on a 3-D basis. Measurement occurs within one
second without interrupting the production process. The GP TF-SENSE
.Scan is a high-quality inspection system that offers 100 percent
inspection of thin film modules. A particular attraction of this
technology is that each individual substrate can be measured without
a detrimental effect on the production cycle. All of these
developments share the ability to immediately identify the smallest
defects. This reduces rejections, resulting in verifiably lower
production costs. These inspection systems can be integrated
flexibly, very rapidly and easily within production processes.

Roll-to-roll product update FHR Anlagenbau, a wholly-owned
centrotherm photovoltaics subsidiary, is demonstrating its expertise
in the flexible photovoltaic area with corresponding foil coating
solutions. The roll-to-roll system concepts that deploy PVD or PECVD
technology, and which have been developed on a customer- specific
basis, are appropriate for various substrate materials and diverse
solar cell concepts. FHR boasts major know-how particularly in the
area of foil of solar cells that are based on CIGS and a-Si, and
regards itself as in a leading position globally in this context. FHR
is reporting great success in accompanying several international
customers in taking the step from pilot production to mass
production, including some very successful partnerships in China. The
flexible, light and unbreakable cells are also particularly suited to
large industrial roofs, and applications such as the textile,
automotive and aerospace industries. Thin film solar cells generated
using this roll-to-roll procedure are unrivalled when it comes to
uneven surfaces.

"As a solar pioneer and technology leader, we are pleased to set
benchmarks at the EU PVSEC in Hamburg with efficiency-enhancing
developments in all business areas," was how Dr. Fath explained his
company's involvement. "It is our constant aim to further expand our
customers' advantage with respect to cost- leadership and efficiency
in this context. New customers benefit in terms of the latest
production systems, and our existing customers benefit from our
upgrade packages."

centrotherm photovoltaics at the 26th European Photovoltaic Solar
Energy Conference and Exhibition (EU PVSEC: September 5-8, 2011, in
Hamburg): CCH Congress Center & Trade Fair, Hamburg, Hall A1, Stand
A1/B2

About centrotherm photovoltaics AG centrotherm photovoltaics AG,
which is based at Blaubeuren, Germany, is the world's leading
technology and equipment provider for the photovoltaics sector. The
company equips well-known solar companies and new sector entrants
with turnkey production lines and single equipment to manufacture
silicon, ingots and bricks, crystalline solar cells and modules, and
thin film modules. As a consequence, the Group possesses a broad and
well-founded technological basis, as well as key equipment at
practically all steps of the photovoltaics value chain. centrotherm
photovoltaics guarantees its customers important performance
parameters such as production capacity, efficiencies, and completion
deadlines. The Group employs around 1,900 staff members, and operates
in Europe, Asia and the USA. centrotherm photovoltaics achieved
revenue in the 2010 financial year of EUR 624,2 million, EBIT of
EUR 75.4 million. The company is listed in the TecDAX index on the
Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Contact:
Saskia Feil
Senior Manager Investor & Public Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-8890
E-mail: saskia.feil@centrotherm.de

Dr. Torsten Knödler
Manager Public Relations
Tel: +49 7344 918-8898
E-mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de

Further inquiry note:
Dr. Torsten Knödler
Manager Public Relations
Tel.: 07344 - 918-8898
E-Mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de

end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: centrotherm photovoltaics AG
Johannes-Schmid-Str. 8
D-89143 Blaubeuren
phone: +49 (0) 7344 91880
mail: info@centrotherm.de
WWW: http://www.centrotherm.de
sector: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
indexes: TecDAX
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt, free trade: Berlin,
Hamburg, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, München
language: English