Oerlikon Solar inks gas supply deal to cut PV module fab costs

December 1, 2011 -- Oerlikon Solar has formed individual agreements with major global gas suppliers Air Liquide and Linde, enabling Micromorph thin film silicon PV panel makers to achieve a total gas budget of less than EUR 8,5/panel*, realizing more than 20% reduction in total cost of all gases and precursors supplied to new Oerlikon Solar's ThinFab 120 MWp going into full production by end of 2012.

This achievement lowers module production costs by up to 5%, the company reports.

Each gas supply firm will set up necessary infrastructure and supply chain investments and continue to work together with Oerlikon Solar to co-develop solutions for reducing cost and consumption of process gases.

Also see: Oerlikon discusses path to $0.70/W thin-film PV panels

Linde also has an existing R&D collaboration with Oerlikon on the EU-funded PEPPER project, which was announced in November 2010.

* subject to local adjustments for logistics, tax or infrastructure.

Oerlikon Solar offers field proven equipment and turnkey manufacturing lines for the mass production of thin film silicon solar modules. Learn more at www.oerlikon.com.

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