This goes for both our products and our manufacturing processes. Q-Cells’ factories are state of the art. The entire manufacturing process – from the arrival of the silicon wafers to final quality control – is automated. And thanks to the presence of more than 200 technologists, scientists and engineers at Q-Cells, our production lines are frequently the first in the solar industry to feature innovations developed in conjunction with our equipment manufacturers.
We continuously invest in developing new solar technologies. And our expertise is constantly growing thanks to the new Rainer Lemoine Research Centre opened in 2009 as well as close collaborations with universities and scientific institutes. Our cooperation partners include top German and international research centres such as the ISE Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, the ISFH Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin, the CSP Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics in Halle, the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) , the Helmholtz Centre in Berlin and the University of Constance.
We are currently carrying out projects designed to boost efficiency, cut costs, develop ultra high output cells and back-contact solar cells, and to improve the passivation and contact of monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cells. We are also developing solar cells made out of inexpensive UMG (upgraded metallurgical-grade) silicon. The advances we make are harnessed in production – with our partners and to benefit them.
The result of this work is reflected in the new standards for solar cells we have and will continue to set. The development of new cells designs is one of Q-Cells’ trademarks. We are working flat out to increase throughput, optimize formats, enhance quality, save resources and improve efficiency.
One vital aspect of manufacture is stringent quality control – to ensure we deliver highly-quality products geared to customers’ needs and which hence meet our partners’ high standards. All sides stand to benefit from the progress made by Q-Cells: not just us but also our partners and the environment.
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