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Dunasolar shuts down Hungarian thin-film production
Blaming a lack of support from Eastern European countries, thin-film module manufacturer Dunasolar Photovoltaics Inc. stopped production at its factory in Hungary on June 13, and sold its 5 MW production line to a Thai PV start-up.
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Stephan Schröder Management GmbH |
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Parting shot: With Dunasolar's shutdown, the 1.5 MW of modules on eight grain storage buildings in Germany is its last great claim to
fame. |
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Miklos Kobor, Dunasolar's general manager, who claims the company is continuing as an integrator, says Dunasolar will have
»a minority stake« in Bangkok Solar, a new unit of Bangkok Cable Co. Ltd. According to Nibondh Chetsiri, vice president of Bangkok Solar, Dunasolar's stake is 15 percent. Chetsiri hopes to have the equipment set to start production by the end of the year (see article, p.
28). Kobor says about 16 of Dunasolar's 50 employees will be transferred to the new Thai factory.
Dunasolar, started in 1997, purchased the batch process a-Si production equipment from Energy Photovoltaics Inc. (EPV), which is based in the US state of New Jersey and owns 10 percent of Dunasolar. James Groelinger, EPV's CEO, says he is in negotiations to increase that stake to about 18 percent (see article, p. 29). According to Kobor, Dunasolar did not use distributors for sales, but sold its 40 W modules
– averaging a 5.9 percent efficiency – directly to customers, including the Sacramento Municipal Utility Department (SMUD) in California, and at various locations in Germany. In spring 2002, 1.5 MW of modules were installed of what is eventually planned to be a 5 MW PV plant in Relzow, Germany. According to PHOTON International's world market cell survey, Dunasolar produced 3 MW of product in 2002 with plans to expand production to 3.8 MW in 2003. (see PI 3/2003, p. 42).
Kobor says Dunasolar decided to shut down its Hungarian site when it became apparent that, despite expectations, Eastern European governments were not moving to subsidize PV ahead of joining the European Union. He also blames the high cost for transporting the glass-glass modules, sold for as low as
€2 ($2.30) per watt, and import duties.
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