Q-Cells specialises in the development, production and sale of high-quality solar cells and thin-film technologies. We are hence one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of solar cells. We intend to underpin our aim to be one of the industry’s pacemakers by means of technological innovation. We concentrate on promising projects in R&D, including a new rear-panel design and new monocrystalline products. In addition, we have put forward a development project with which we plan to make monocrystalline solar cells with 20% efficiency by the end of 2011.
Regarding new technologies, we are backing Solibro’s CIGS technology. We want to develop this thin-film technology into a core business. The company has proved that this technology is ready for market and with average efficiency of around 11.0% achieved in production. Calyxo is also to be integrated into our core business in the not-too-distant future.
Q-CELLS INTERNATIONAL GMBH: Founded in 2007, Q-Cells International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Q-Cells SE that specialises in planning and engineering large outdoor and rooftop photovoltaic arrays. Operating worldwide, Q-Cells International’s main target markets are currently Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Eastern Europe and the USA. In 2008, it accomplished projects with a total capacity of around 26 MWp. In 2009, Q-Cells International expects its project business around the world to reach a total capacity of more than 150 MWp. It concentrates on building large arrays exceeding 5 MWp – a market that was virtually non-existent before Q-Cells International was set up. The company has branches in Berlin, Rome, Lyon, Madrid and Fremont (California), and has also launched a number of joint ventures with prestigious partners.
OT Thalheim
Sonnenallee 1a
06766 Bitterfeld-Wolfen
Germany
CONTACT
TEL +49 (0)30 308 3394-0
FAX +49 (0)30 308 3394-44
MAIL requestqci@q-cells.com
Solibro GmbH: Solibro GmbH was established at the end of 2006 as a joint venture between Q-Cells SE and Swedish Solibro AB. In mid 2009 it became a wholly owned subsidiary of Q-Cells. The goal is to commercialise copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) technology originally developed at the University of Uppsala and later transferred from the Swedish Solibro AB. Thanks to a combination of the high absorption and good electrical properties of the CIGS semiconductor, CIGS technology currently holds the thin-film world record for efficiency at 16.6%. The ramp-up phase for the first production line in Bitterfeld-Wolfen with 25-30 MWp was completed at the end of 2008. In 2009 it is to be expanded by 45 MWp. The building of a second production line started at the end of 2008. With a planned capacity of 90 MWp production is scheduled to start in Q4 2009.
Solibro GmbH Germany
OT Thalheim
Sonnenallee 32-26
06766 Bitterfeld-Wolfen
Germany
CONTACT
Diana Busch
TEL +49 (0) 3494 3840 93000
FAX +49 (0) 3494 3840 93100
EMAIL info@solibro-solar.com
www.solibro-solar.com
CALYXO GMBH: Established in 2005, Calyxo GmbH produces thin-film modules based on a cadmium-telluride (CdTe) technology for which the company has purchased a worldwide exclusive licence. The first 25 MWp factory is currently running in test mode. The building for the 60 MWp expansion at the Solar Valley site was completed in 2008 and ramp-up is scheduled to start in the first half of 2010. Following the merger with US-based Solar Fields, Calyxo has strengthened its technological base by gaining perpetual exclusive access to all the new developments of this the technology and its exploitation. The newly founded Calyxo USA Inc. will focus on R&D activities and rapid further improvements in CdTe technology, which harbours enormous potential for cost reduction. Q-Cells SE has a 93 % shareholding in Calyxo, the remainder being held by Solar Fields.
Calyxo GmbH
OT Thalheim
Sonnenallee 1a
06766 Bitterfeld-Wolfen
Germany
CONTACT
Manuela Budich
TEL +49 (3494) 368 980-0
FAX +49 (3494) 368 980-111
EMAIL calyxo@calyxosolar.com
www.calyxosolar.com
VHF-TECHNOLOGIES SA: This Swiss company based in Yverdon-les-Bains has developed a technology under the brand name of Flexcell for applying amorphous silicon to a flexible plastic substrate in order to produce flexible solar modules. Q-Cells aims to significantly expand the production capacity of the company. Investment in VHF Technologies is intended to raise the profile of photovoltaics in routine, everyday life by developing Flexcell’s end customer business as well as to tap new markets in building-integrated photovoltaics. In 2008, the construction of the first 25 MWp production facility was largely completed. CONTACT
Ramp-up has started and will be concluded at the end of 2009. The existing 2 MWp test line was converted into a research and development line in 2008 and therefore only produced modules with an output of 0.2 MWp with an average efficiency rating of about 4%. The medium-term efficiency potential is up to 8 %.Q-Cells SE currently holds a 58.11 % stake in VHF-Technologies.
VHF-Technologies SA
Flexcell
Av. Des Sports, 26
Ch-1400 Yverdon-les-Bains
Switzerland
Frederic Bichsel
TEL +41 (0) 24 423 04 90
FAX +41 (0) 24 423 04 99
EMAIL info@flexcell.com
www.flexcell.com
SUNFILM AG: Sunfilm AG is a 50% subsidiary of Q-Cells SE. Following the merger of Sontor GmbH and Sunfilm AG in late April 2009, it became one of the world’s largest providers of tandem junction silicon based thin-film modules. The rest of Sunfilm AG is held by Good Energies (35%) and NorSun (15%). The micromorph silicon-based thin-film technology was developed by Q-Cells in conjunction with Applied Materials and Jülich Research Centre. This means that two silicon layers (one amorphous and one micro-crystalline) are deposited on a glass substrate. This technology offers a relatively high efficiency potential and works with silicon, a raw material that is virtually inexhaustible. With an installed capacity of approximately 85 MWp at the two current production sites in Bitterfeld-Wolfen and Grossröhrsdorf, plus an additional 60 MWp of capacity under construction in Grossroehrsdorf, Sunfilm is already one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tandem junction silicon-based thin-film modules.
Sunfilm AG
OT Thalheim
Sonnenallee 17-21
06766 Bitterfeld-Wolfen
Germany
CONTACT
Aline Uecker
TEL +49 (3494) 6699 92100
FAX +49 (03494) 6699 92133
EMAIL info@sunfilm.com
www.sunfilm.com
Sovello AG: Following the launch of production in April 2006, Sovello - a joint venture with the American Evergreen Solar Inc. and Norwegian Renewable Energy Corporation ASA (REC) - produces wafers, cells and modules in Thalheim. The company uses string ribbon technology for wafer production. A crucial advantage of this technology is the reduced amount of silicon used compared with conventional technologies since there are no sawing losses. Q-Cells has a 33.3 % shareholding in Sovello.
Sovello AG
OT Thalheim
Sonnenallee 14-24
06766 Bitterfeld-Wolfen
Germany
TEL +49 (0)3494 / 66 64 - 0
FAX +49 (0)3494 / 66 64 - 1011
EMAIL anfragen@sovello.com
www.sovello.com
SOLARIA CORPORATION: The Solaria Corporation in Fremont, California (USA) has developed a new, low-concentrating photovoltaic technology based on a standard silicon solar cell. The advantage of this technology is that it enables the number of modules produced with a specific quantity of silicon to be increased considerably by doubling or tripling the concentration of sunlight. This technology can be seamlessly integrated into the existing value-added chain for silicon wafer-based PV technology. Moreover, the production process can be scaled up very quickly. The technology developed by Solaria is of interest to Q-Cells because it has enormous potential for lowering the cost of module production and can therefore contribute to the goal of making the solar industry competitive more quickly. Q-Cells now has a shareholding of 31.4 % in this company.
Solaria Corporation
46420 Fremont Blvd
Fremont
CA 94538 USA
TEL +1 510 270 2500
FAX +1 510 656 1376
EMAIL info@solaria.com
www.solaria.com
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