Thin-film Solar Cell Production Companies

SHARP was first engaged in the metal processing industry, and then invented the metal movable core pencil, and successively developed Japan’s first mineral radio, black and white TV set and the world’s all-transistor electronic calculator, etc., and set up a thin-film solar photovoltaic research and development department. , Is a comprehensive electronics manufacturer whose products are mainly sold in Germany and Japan.

First Solar is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of solar photovoltaic modules, with production bases in the United States, Malaysia and Germany. The company’s production capacity has exceeded the peak of 1 gigawatt. It is also the world’s most important manufacturer of cadmium telluride thin film photovoltaic modules. Compared with the traditional crystalline silicon technology, the solar power generation using the patented cadmium telluride technology is larger and has a lower production cost.

Global Solar (Dow Chemical) mainly researches and develops copper indium gallium tin thin film solar cells with a production efficiency of 10%. CIGS modules with glass substrates come out, and CIGS products with metal substrates are the main force, which are made by roll-to-roll. Its flexible products have passed the US military MILSTD-810E certification. In addition to military specifications, they are also developing toward civilian standards. It cooperates with Solon AG, the largest solar module factory in Germany, and invests 3,000 euros to build production capacity in Berlin-Adlershof, Germany. 30MW production line.

Founded in 1998, Antect Solar Energy and First Solar are the only two manufacturers that commercially produce CdTe solar cells/modules. However, with First Solar’s rapid expansion, Antect Solar will still maintain a production capacity of 10MW in 2007 and is estimated to be 2020 The annual production capacity is 25MW. Antect Sola claims that its module efficiency can reach 7.5% by 2025.

Solar Frontier (Showa Shell Petroleum Co., Ltd.) currently Japan’s second largest CI(G)S solar module manufacturer is Showa Shell Solar KK, and its products are CIS (gallium-free) solar modules from Japan’s Showa Shell Sekiyu A wholly-owned subsidiary of, was established in October 2006, and began commercial production of CIS solar modules with glass substrates in July 2007. It claims that its module efficiency can reach 10.5%, and its revenue in 2007 is about 10 million U.S. dollars. The main factory is located in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. Future products are expected to be sold to Japan and EU countries. The production capacity in 2007 and 2008 is planned to be 20MW. The second factory in Qixian County has a planned annual production capacity of 60MW. It is expected to start operations in the first half of 2009, claiming to be the world’s largest CIS module production center by then.

United Solar United Solar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices (ECD Ovonics) in the United States and was established in 1990. In 2007, United Solar of the United States became the second largest producer of thin-film solar cells and the largest producer of silicon thin-film technology with a 48MW output. Compared with most silicon thin-film solar cell manufacturers whose products are still mainly single-layer a-Si and hard glass substrates, United Solar uses a germanium-doped three-layer structure (a-Si/a-SiGe/a-SiGe Triple Junction ), with flexible stainless steel metal substrate as the main product, the product advantage is that it is easy to combine with buildings and roofs.