March 14, 2008

Athens, Greece: Oerlikon Solar Receives Thin Film Manufacturing Plant Order from Next Solar

Next Solar, a recently formed solar panel production company based in Greece, will construct its first thin-film solar module factory. Oerlikon Solar will deliver the turnkey production line within the current year. Next Solar's thin-film solar panel fabrication line is scheduled to start production in early 2009. The initial annual capacity will be 30 MWp (megawatt peak) although Next Solar may exercise the option for the upgrade to 60 MWp.

"Oerlikon Solar is a leading company of proven turnkey solutions for thin-film modules. Their advanced technology will help us gain market share in the fast growing solar market", says Panos Ninios, Member of the Board of Next Solar.

The main activity of Next Solar S.A. is the production of thin-film photovoltaic panels, using Oerlikon's micromorph technology. The plant will have a fully automated production line that uses glass as raw material (dimensions 130cm x 110cm) and produces a ‘complete' photovoltaic module ready for installation.

A key differentiating element of the Oerlikon turnkey line is the KAI with PECVD technology (Plasma Enchased Chemical Vapor Deposition), where the deposition of two layers of micromorph and amorphous silicon is made in a plasma environment. This equipment is installed inside a clean room measuring approximately 1.500 square meters (inside the main plant) with high cleanness require-ments (concerning both the number and the size of particles) as well as with specific toler-ances regarding the ambient temperature and humidity. Next Solar targets one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide. Thanks to Oerlikon's innovative thin-film PV technology, the company says solar modules can now be produced about 30 percent less expensively than conventional wafer-based technology.

"We will provide Next Solar with our proprietary Micromorph Tandem technology, enabling them to quickly enter the thin-film solar market with a highly competitive and proven product. The Micromorph Tan-dem cell can achieve up to a 50 % increase in module efficiency, as well as module yield in comparison to amorphous technology", says Jeannine Sargent, CEO of Oerlikon Solar.

The production capacity of the plant could eventually be over 60MWp annually, corresponding to an annual production of 500.000 panels. The photovoltaic panels' production plant site will occupy over 16.000 square meters and is currently being built in the industrial zone of Tripoli, in Peloponnesus, Greece. It will create more than 140 highly specialized jobs in the area of Tripoli.

The principal investors funded Next Solar in February 2008 and facility construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. Production is expected to commence early 2009.

Further details about: Oerlikon