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Trubbach (Switzerland), September 8, 2009. - Oerlikon Solar customer Astronergy (also known as Chint Solar), a Chinese manufacturer of thin film PV modules, has demonstrated the growing momentum behind this exciting technology by securing a deal to deliver a two-megawatt rooftop PV installation for the Huangzhou Energy and Environment Industrial Park in Zheijang.

Following a competitive bidding process, Astronergy was selected to provide high-efficiency thin film PV modules for the Hangzhou industrial park's Green Science and Technology Hall and Energy Conservation Hall. Astronergy will design and install the whole project with a combination of crystalline silicon-based modules and high-efficiency tandem thin film PV modules. The project is expected to be completed by 30 September 2009, demonstrating the efficiency advantages offered by Oerlikon Solar's manufacturing technology.

Oerlikon Solar leads the thin film solar equipment sector with ten factories in production and the fastest time to market. Thin film solar offers cost advantages over traditional crystalline silicon and is demonstrating increasingly impressive efficiency gains. Astronergy is using Oerlikon Solar's Micromorph® high-efficiency tandem PV technology for this latest project.

"Oerlikon Solar is a proven world-leader in delivering thin film production equipment to the fast-growing solar energy industry," said Jeannine Sargent, CEO, Oerlikon Solar. "With China's renewable energy industry poised for serious expansion, we are delighted to be supporting Astronergy with this high-profile new contract win and we look forward to our best-in-class technology playing a lead role in this exciting marketplace," she added.

"The Hangzhou project will provide an excellent opportunity to showcase Astronergy's revolutionary new thin film modules, which will help us to differentiate ourselves and establish our position in the industry," commented Liyou Yang, CEO, Astronergy. "Because demand is growing so strongly for cost-effective solar power, we valued Oerlikon's ability to get our plant up and running quickly."

Under the ‘Golden Sun' program, announced on 21 July 2009, China's Ministry of Finance will subsidize 50 percent of the construction costs for on-grid solar power plants and up to 70 percent of the construction costs for off-grid installations, plus transmission costs where necessary. Industry analysts predict that, under this government-led policy, China could be equipped to generate more than 500 megawatts of solar power within three years, compared with just 50 megawatts in 2008.

 

 

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