Siemens Solar Panels direct from Bullnet
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Alliance And Siemens Solar Industries Agree To Share Cost Of Demonstrating New, More-Efficient Silicon Crystal Production Process VANCOUVER, Wash., April 7, 1998 -- Siemens Solar Industries and the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance have agreed to work together to cut energy use
and production time in the manufacture of silicon crystals for photovoltaic cells and computer chips. The two organizations will share the cost of the $2 million project, according to the agreement to be signed April 7, 1998, at 11
a.m. at the Siemens plant in Vancouver, Washington. Siemens Solar Industries is the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaic cells and modules, with a market share of more than 20 percent. The Northwest Energy
Efficiency Alliance is a consortium of Northwest electric utilities, state and local governments, public interest groups and the private sector dedicated to increasing the efficiency of energy use in the Northwest.
Together, the two organizations will investigate technical improvements that will reduce the amount of electricity used in the energy-intensive process of growing single-crystal silicon ingots. Ingots are cylindrical-shaped bars of
silicon that are sliced into round wafers and used to manufacture photovoltaic cells. Siemens estimates that their improvements could eventually yield energy savings of 40 to 50 percent and cut in half the time necessary to produce
the ingots. Since ingot production contributes a substantial amount to the cost of a solar photovoltaic cell, this project has the potential to reduce the cost of solar modules, improving their attractiveness as an
alternative power source. This project offers exciting promise for semiconductor manufacturing as well because the same equipment is used to produce ingots for that industry. These technical improvements, if realized,
could be transferable to companies such as Mitsubishi Semiconductors and Wacker Siltronic. "Microelectronics is this region's fastest growing industry, and we're excited to be able to play a part in it,"
said Jake Fey, chair of the Alliance board of directors and manager of Tacoma City Light. "This partnership between the Alliance and Siemens has the potential to do great things. Not only will it reduce costs for
photovoltaics, but the Northwest's microelectronics manufacturers will benefit with money-saving improvements they can use to become more competitive." To make the ingots, raw polysilicon is placed in a crucible
and melted in a super-heated furnace. A small piece of pure silicon lowered into the spinning crucible touches the liquid silicon and slowly draws out the material to produce the ingot. During this process, argon gas is also used
to regulate the temperature. Specific improvements in the process to be studied under the project include insulating the crucible in which the silicon is melted; redesigning the argon gas management system; and
installing a heat shield to permit more rapid cooling of the crystal as it is pulled from the crucible. Project testing will be conducted at Siemens' facility in Vancouver, which produces the largest volume of
single-crystal ingots for photovoltaic cell production in the world. Siemens Solar Industries (SSI), based in Camarillo, California, part of Siemens Solar Group, is the world's largest manufacturer of solar cells and
modules. Siemens Solar offers its products through an international sales network to customers worldwide. |
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