Large-area CIGS modules: Pilot line production and new developments

Thin-film solar modules based on Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 (CIGS) promise to become a lower-cost alternative to polycrystalline silicon. The ZSW and Wuerth Solar are developing and running industrial processes suitable for the mass production of CIGS modules. Yield and output in the Wuerth Solar pilot line are steadily improving, with average module efficiencies exceeding 10%. New developments at the ZSW include doubling the length of the linear evaporation source to increase the throughput and adjusting the processes to enable production of flexible modules. New calculations regarding module design for optimized performance are presented as well as results from outdoor testing of Wuerth Solar modules. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.