GRENOBLE, France, September 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Soitec (Euronext), a world leader in generating and
manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials for the
electronics and energy industries, today announced its newest
concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) module featuring a record
power-generating efficiency of 31.8 percent. Soitec's new module,
which is already in industrial volume production, has the highest
efficiency of any commercial product available for multi-megawatt
installations.
Using an optimized anti-reflective coating, Soitec's CX-M500
module increases nominal peak power output over previous
generations from 2,335 Wp to 2,450 Wp. The
new module has been certified according to the International
Electrotechnical Commission's (IEC) and
Underwriters Laboratories' (UL) standards
(IEC 62108, IEC 62688,
UL 62108 and UL SU 8703),
confirming that it meets product safety, performance and
reliability requirements in both the US and European markets.
"With this new product, Soitec is continuing to raise
the bar for solar-power efficiency and, looking ahead, the
potential for further improvement is significant," said
Gaetan Borgers, executive vice
president of Soitec's Solar Energy Division. "Based on
our current work in solar-cell development, we are well positioned
to achieve even higher module efficiencies in the near future. With
our newest commercial modules and their higher efficiencies, we are
delivering on our cost-competitiveness roadmap."
Additionally Soitec's new module complies with the California
Solar Initiative, so power-plant installations using it can
qualify for performance-based incentives from the California
Energy Commission (CEC). The module also bears the CE mark,
indicating its compliance with the relevant European Union
directives, regulations and standards.
Using Soitec's proven Concentrix™ technology, each Soitec CPV
module comprises a Fresnel lens plate and a bottom plate on which
high-performance solar cells are mounted. The Fresnel lenses focus
sunlight concentrated by a factor of 500 on the solar cells
beneath. The cells are precisely mounted on the bottom plate,
enabling the focused sunbeam to align perfectly with the tiny solar
cells. In constructing its modules, Soitec uses elements from the
circuit board and dual pane window industries, which are both cost
effective and have been proven reliable over many years.
The modules are used in assembling Soitec CPV systems. Soitec's
tracker-based systems are designed to build high-capacity
solar-power plants with low construction and maintenance costs.
Soitec's CPV systems can significantly improve the Levelized
Cost of Electricity (LCoE) for mid-sized to very large
solar-power plants.
With installations in 18 countries around the world, Soitec's
CPV technology has proven its competitiveness to generate solar
power, largely due to its higher production yields throughout the
sunlight hours. In addition, CPV technology's abilities to operate
without cooling water, withstand hot ambient temperatures and have
minimal environmental impact make it perfectly suited for use in
environmentally sensitive desert areas. Soitec is well positioned
to expand quickly in the world's sunniest regions, which also are
the fastest growing market segments for the solar industry.
Soitec recently announced the signature of a
performance-warranty insurance contract with Munich Re, which will
ease financing of solar projects using the company's CPV
modules.
About Soitec: Soitec is an international manufacturing
company, a world leader in generating and manufacturing
revolutionary semiconductor materials at the frontier of the most
exciting energy and electronic challenges. Soitec's products
include substrates for microelectronics (most notably SOI:
Silicon-on-Insulator) and concentrator photovoltaic systems (CPV).
The company's core technologies are Smart Cut™, Smart Stacking™ and
Concentrix™, as well as expertise in epitaxy. Applications include
consumer and mobile electronics, microelectronics-driven IT,
telecommunications, automotive electronics, lighting products and
large-scale solar power plants. Soitec has manufacturing plants and
R&D centers in France,
Singapore, Germany and the
United States. For more information, visit:
http://www.soitec.com.
International Media Contacts
(trade press)
Camille Darnaud-Dufour
+33(0)6-79-49-51-43
camille.darnaud-dufour@soitec. com
(business press)
Marylen Schmidt
+33(0)4-76-92-87-83
marylen.schmidt@soitec.com
Investor Relations
Olivier Brice
+33(0)4-76-92-93-80
olivier.brice@soitec.com
SOURCE Soitec