Germany‘s Aleo Solar plans 30 MW thin-film factory for 2007 start

© aleo solar GmbH Big plans: A model of the 30 MW CIGSS module factory in Brandenburg, where construction is expected to begin in May.

German module manufacturer Aleo Solar GmbH is planning to build a 30 MW thin-film factory after securing the rights to a newly developed process through a licensing agreement with a South African development company. In Nov. 2004, pilot production of a thin-film module using copper, indium, gallium, sulfide and selenium (CIGSS) began at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). The process, developed by a team under physics professor Vivian Alberts, is expected to compete with related technologies from Shell Solar and Würth Solar (see PI 12/2004, p. 6). Alberts, who claims he has reached efficiencies of around 14 to 15 percent, estimates that production costs for even small serial production will be around €2.10 ($2.50) per W. In greater production batches, costs could sink to just 85 euro cents ($1.00) per W, he says.

A UJ subsidiary, Photovoltaic Technology Intellectual Property (PTIP), founded to license the technology, signed a contract in August with IFE Projekt und Beteiligungsmanagement GmbH & Co. KG, based in Oldenburg, Germany, worth nearly €50 million ($59.4 million). IFE holds a 46 percent stake in Aleo Solar, which has produced crystalline modules in Prenzlau, Brandenburg since 2002. When IFE set up Johanna Solar Technology GmbH last year to produce the modules and market the sublicenses, the participation of Aleo Solar was included.

Aleo announced its thin-film plans in mid-March, proudly proclaiming the acquisition of what it considers a »license for tomorrow‘s energy source.« Construction on the factory, located in Brandenburg/Havel, will begin in May, with a production start-date in mid-2007. While no timeline was given for ramping up to full capacity of 30 MW, a phase that is expected to create up to 180 jobs, Aleo is already announcing plans to double capacity to 60 MW by 2009. The factory will cost €72 million ($85.8 million). No details were disclosed on the public funding the plant will receive.