For the second time, the International Photovoltaic Equipment Association (IPVEA) and the EU PVSEC jointly presented this one-day forum that focused on the industrial production of solar cells and modules.
The PV Production Forum 2011 was led by top-level managers, chief developing engineers of IPVEA member companies and further industry experts from manufacturers and suppliers of PV production equipment and related raw materials.
Two of the key challenges for the current and future production of PV solar cells and modules – to increase throughput and efficiency as well as cutting down manufacturing costs – were the central themes of the three sessions of the PV Production Forum 2011.
The Market Session in the morning covered topics such as the status and the challenges of the global equipment and materials markets. It was kicked off with a presentation by VLSI Research’s John West, followed by the FAB Manager Panel Discussion moderated by Mark Osbourne, Senior Editor PV-Tech.org, with participants from some of the leading PV authorities: Trina Solar Ltd.’s Huang Qiang, Calyxo’s Florian Holzapfel and many more.
The second Panel Session, the Equipment Executive Roundtable Discussion, moderated by Hoehner Research & Consulting Group’s Markus Hoehner, was led by members of the top management from Applied Solar, Centrotherm Photovoltaics, Manz Automation, Meyer Burger Technology, and Oerlikon Solar. Industry executives provided up-to-the-minute data on the present market conditions alongside insightful information on future industry challenges.
One of the two parallel afternoon sessions that offered presentations about cell and module production addressed to the potential of thin-film technologies: Topics such as deposition of backside passivation layers, glass coating, gas purification as well as line concepts, vertical integration and efficiency improvements on thin-film PV fabs were shared by leading international companies of PV production.
With best practice examples and case studies, the Silicon Session featured presentations about the Return on Investment (ROI) of online analyzers, optimized handling, automation, and tracking technologies in mass manufacturing of high-efficiency silicon cells, structuring solutions for cells, improved testing technologies as well as the new connection material SCF Solar Cell Conductive Film.
“Based on the success of the recent event, we have the intention to repeat the PV Production Forum in 2012 in Frankfurt,” said Bryan Ekus, Managing Director of IPVEA.
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