A spokesperson tells pv magazine that the new efficiencies were achieved by further fine tuning Soltectures deposition processes and optimizing its existing manufacturing methods.
The company, which currently has a 35 megawatt (MW) production line, is planning to increase its capacity in the future. The spokesperson says that there are "immediate" plans to ramp up to 100 MW. However, its overall goal is to reach 200 MW, thus "allowing this footprint to be implemented in other production facilities throughout different markets."
They could not disclose the cost the thin film CIGSe (copper indium gallium selenium) modules are manufactured at, but they did say that the companys main customers include installers and integrators, as well as architects, building developers and project developers. "We are currently expanding our distribution network to these channels in the U.S. as well as other markets," they added.
Higher efficiencies
Following the achievement, CEO and founder, Nikolaus Meyer stated that the company, formerly known as Sulfurcell, will reach efficiencies of 14 percent by the middle of 2012 "at the latest".
Back in January, the company secured 18.8 million in equity funding to increase its efficiencies to 14 percent. The financing round was led by Intel Capital, which was joined by a group of European and U.S. clean tech investors. The companys long-term investors, led by Vattenfall Europe (Berlin) and GdF Suez (Berlin/Paris), also contributed.
Meyer added, "Our research department continues to work full speed on optimization of the manufacturing process. The concrete projects needed to reach a 16 percent goal have already been tackled and drafted."
In related news, Soltecture's modules have received official ISO 9001 certification.
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