Shin-Etsu Chemical to license cell manufacturing technology

Tokyo-based chemical giant Shin-Etsu Chemical has decided to license the use of its mass production technology patents related to its advanced mono crystalline silicon solar cells.
The company has established a mass production process for 156 by 156 mm advanced mono crystalline silicon solar cells that have a conversion efficiency of 21%. Shin-Etsu currently holds some 10 patents for its production process technology.
The group says its technology also has the “characteristic of being a relatively easy manufacturing process that is applicable to the existing mass production process based on screen-printing technology. In other words, by introducing a few additional systems into the existing mass production process, it becomes possible to mass produce solar cells with a conversion efficiency of 21%.”
Shin-Etsu likewise pointed out that the bifacial light-receiving type of solar cell manufactured through the process offers greater output power generation “in a strong reflected-light environment such as on snow or on water surfaces.”
Because it’s possible to freely orient the planes to constitute a solar panel module, Shin-Etsu said the module exhibits high performance in areas where snow and sand fall and pile up on the module.
Shin-Etsu is a leading international supplier of semiconductor materials, semiconductor silicon and PVC resin.