Recording of Wednesday, June 19, 2024 | The smarter E Europe 2024 | Exhibition Program | Language: English | Duration: 13:01 .
Cosimo Gerardi, CTO of 3SUN, discussed the establishment of Europe's first Gigafactory in Catania, Sicily. This plant is notable for its hydro junction technology known for high performance and reliability. Initially having a 200 MW capacity, the factory has been expanded to support up to 3 GW by adding a new building covering 50,000 square meters. The project aligns with European goals to reshore the PV value chain and received substantial financial backing: around €700 million invested alongside approximately €180-190 million from various grants including those from the European Commission's innovation fund and Italian government contracts. Gerardi highlighted that this expansion would create about 900 direct jobs plus over a thousand indirect ones. Trisan’s journey began as a joint venture in 2010 focusing on amorphous silicon thin film PV modules before becoming solely owned by Enel Green Power in 2015. By late 2023, they aim to start producing at least part of their targeted capacity using advanced automation systems integrated with AI for improved process control. The heterojunction technology used offers numerous advantages such as lower processing temperatures (below 200°C), higher efficiency margins approaching up to potentially beyond 27%, better thermal stability, enhanced resistance against reverse voltage stress leading to fewer hotspots or breakdowns, and more efficient use of materials like silver-reduced copper paste due to cost considerations. In conclusion, this facility not only aims at high-efficiency production but also strives toward sustainable practices through technological innovations tailored for both utility-scale deployments and residential markets.
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The technology for wafer, cell, and module production is continuously advancing. Currently, silicon-based solar modules hold approximately 97 percent of the global market share. While the passivated emitter and rear cell concept (PERC) remains prevalent, there is a notable shift towards tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), expected to lead in terms of market share by the end of 2024, alongside silicon heterojunction (SHJ), and interdigitated back contact (IBC) cells. The transition to these technologies is fast, for which innovative cell manufacturing approaches are considered.European machine manufacturers are at the forefront of providing solutions to the global market. Their cutting-edge equipment is designed to facilitate the high-quality and efficient production of solar cells. In this session, machine and equipment suppliers, together with European cell manufacturers, will discuss the current state-of-the-art production technology and future trends in the post-TW market.