EANS-News: PVA TePla AG / High cell efficiency and low operating costs - the key to long-term success in the photovoltaics industry

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Research & Development

Wettenberg (euro adhoc) - (Wettenberg, March 13, 2012) - Given the
currently difficult situation in the photovoltaics industry, which is
characterized by excess capacities and a resulting heavy pressure on
prices and margins, increasing cell efficiency is recognized as
offering enormous potential for optimizing the cost of ownership
(CoO). In light of this, PVA TePla AG, Wettenberg (Germany), a
leading manufacturer of systems for producing monocrystalline silicon
crystals using the Czochralski and float-zone method, has
systematically enhanced its systems technology for growing crystals
in collaboration with customers, cooperation partners and research
centers from the photovoltaics industry.

In addition to major improvements in the long-established Czochralski
technology leading to reduced process times and lower process costs,
which are achieved by increasing the crystallization speed and
utilizing raw and consumable materials more efficiently, more recent
developments have been focusing on the float-zone procedure for
manufacturing high-purity monocrystalline silicon for solar
applications.

Float-zone technology was originally developed for manufacturing
semi-conductors and has grown increasingly important in recent years.
Float-zone technology ensures that the stringent purity requirements
essential, for example, in the production of electronic components
for high-performance applications can be achieved for monocrystalline
silicon.

With a crystal-growing system that is optimized for the photovoltaics
industry and can extract monocrystalline silicon crystals using the
float-zone method, standard plants are now available to industry that
allow future requirements for photovoltaic power generation to be
met. Only with excellent wafer material can the highest levels of
efficiency be achieved throughout the increasingly complex
manufacturing process. For this purpose, consistently high quality
across the entire silicon crystal is required as well as high crystal
purity. With the float-zone method, the photovoltaics industry can
now benefit from system technology for growing crystals that offers
outstanding cell efficiency and low operating costs.

The Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP in Halle as well
as the Leibniz Institute for Crystal Growth (IKZ) and industry
partners are continuing to work intensively with crystal growing
systems of the PVA TePla as part of the `cluster of excellence´
sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
(BMBF) and can testify to the outstanding efficiency of the
float-zone cells.

Further inquiry note:
Dr. Gert Fisahn
Telefon: +49(0)641 68690-400
E-Mail: gert.fisahn@pvatepla.com

end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: PVA TePla AG
Im Westpark 10-12
D-35435 Wettenberg
phone: +49(0)641 68690-0
FAX: +49(0)641 68690-800
mail: ir@pvatepla.com
WWW: http://www.pvatepla.com
sector: Misc. Industrials
ISIN: DE0007461006
indexes: CDAX
stockmarkets: free trade: Hannover, Berlin, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf,
Stuttgart, regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt
language: English