PHOTON International The Photovoltaic Magazine

Hitachi seeks foreign module firms for its new bi-facial cells

The Tokyo-based Hitachi Ltd. has announced plans to start commercial production of a new bi-facial crystalline solar cell in September. By the end of the year, Hitachi says it will produce 1 MW of its new cell. That total will increase to 5 MW in 2004, and 8 MW in 2005, when production will be operating at full capacity in a three-shift mode.

	© Hitachi Engineering & Services Co., Ltd. (HESCO)
Hitachi shows off its solar modules with bi-facial cells in front of the Chitose Institute of Science and Technology in Hokkaido, Japan.

The new PV factory will be located at the company's existing production facilities in Hitachi city, Ibaraki prefecture. According to Toshio Joge, project manager for Hitachi's Photovoltaic Solar Cell Business Promotion Project, the production line will use machines from the pilot line and other company-owned equipment. Since Hitachi also produces semiconductor devices, we already have »diffusion furnaces and related equipment,"« explains Joge. In addition to the ¥200 million ($1.69 million) for the pilot plant, Hitachi will invest ¥600 million ($5.07 million) in its new production line.

With a size of 125 × 125 mm, Hitachi's mono-crystalline cells have an efficiency of 13 percent on the front side and 11 percent on the rear side. The company, which is currently looking for foreign module manufacturers to assemble its cells, says Joge, will attempt to attract potential European partners at the Solar Energy trade fair exhibit in Berlin in May. In that same month, Hitachi will also present its first module, only available in Japan, at the world conference in Osaka.

The 8 MW factory is only Hitachi's first step into the PV market. According to Joge, the company would like to begin manufacturing 100 MW annually »within a couple of years,"« depending upon developments in the PV business. Known for its IT systems, semiconductors, power plants and media products, Hitachi, one of the world's largest electronics companies, brought in ¥7,993 billion ($67.6 billion) in FY 2001.