Mass-production of large size a-Si modules and future plan

We have achieved stable 8% module efficiency with large area monolithic amo rphous silicon pin single-junction cell on 910 mm x 455 mm glass substrate. Utilizing this type of modules, we have designed, developed and tested pho tovoltaic modules integrated with roofing material for personal house. We p roved that the modules are suitable for roofing purpose, through the detail ed designing, actual installation and the performance evaluation. We will s tart to produce mass-production of amorphous modules with 20MW/yr capacity in October 1999 in Toyooka-city, Hyogo-prefecture where we establish Kaneka Solartech Corporation as the production subsidiary. We also achieved 11.3% stable efficiency of hybrid solar cell (25 cm(2)) with amorphous Si and po ly-Si thin film. We will introduce this hybrid cell technologies to Toyooka Plant by adding the CVD for thin-film poly-Si till 2003. (C) 2001 Publishe d by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.