A new organic photovoltaic (OPV) panel fabrication facility will open in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in June 2014.
The owner CSEM Brasil state it will be the largest such site in the Americas - and one of the largest in the world. It believes it constitutes a new phase in the deployment of OPV.
Low-cost production
The Belo Horizonte factory is fitted with equipment to permit OPV production at low temperature using a roll-to-roll printing technique. The roll-to-roll machinery was sourced from German equipment manufacturer Kroenert.
The Belo Horizonte factory is fitted with equipment to permit OPV production at low temperature using a roll-to-roll printing technique. The roll-to-roll machinery was sourced from German equipment manufacturer Kroenert.
Tarik Vardag, general manager of Kroenert, says: 'Kroenert is proud to have been selected by CSEM Brasil to supply a roll-roll system with features that are truly new to the industry. We had the technical competence to rise to the challenge and will now complete in June the largest printed electronics line that we have ever built.'
Brazil
Already one of the world largest renewable energy consumers, Brazil's will provide a ready outlet for the high volume of OPV panels produced by CSEM. The country has a diffuse population, an underdeveloped power grid and a rising demand for electricity. This combined with a climate offering good sunshine year round, and government financial support makes OPV an attractive option.
Already one of the world largest renewable energy consumers, Brazil's will provide a ready outlet for the high volume of OPV panels produced by CSEM. The country has a diffuse population, an underdeveloped power grid and a rising demand for electricity. This combined with a climate offering good sunshine year round, and government financial support makes OPV an attractive option.
Scaling up production will lower the unit price. CSEM will initially focus on supplying panels into the construction and automotive industries through pre-existing partnership accords. Tiago Alves, CSEM Brasil's CEO, says: 'We envision further opportunities rising in the window film and indoor applications, as well as in new and intelligent urban furniture concepts [like bus stops and street lights.'
International dimension
Moving forward CSEM Brasil will also look to supply OPV into other global markets as the benefits of flexible, light weight transparent organic solar panels become evident. CSEM Brasil will seek to exploit the access new economies in production will give it in exploiting these in cooperation with a series of partner organisations.
Moving forward CSEM Brasil will also look to supply OPV into other global markets as the benefits of flexible, light weight transparent organic solar panels become evident. CSEM Brasil will seek to exploit the access new economies in production will give it in exploiting these in cooperation with a series of partner organisations.
Bjorn Hofman, senior vice president of Merck's advanced technologies group says: 'Merck, is very happy to see the progress CSEM Brasil is making to bring OPV products to the market. We see the progress and success of CSEM as a big step forward not only in Brazil, but also for the whole industry.'
CSEM Brasil is a subsidiary of the non-profit Swiss Centre for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM).
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