SAN JOSE, Calif. — June , 2012 — Stion, a manufacturer of high efficiency thin-film solar modules, today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory has verified 14.8% aperture efficiency (13.4% module efficiency) for fully certified commercial modules (65 cm x 165 cm) produced at its Hattiesburg, MS factory.
This 145-watt module has the highest efficiency verified by NREL for a monolithically integrated CIGS module manufactured on a commercial production line, and exceeds the 140-watt module produced by Stion on its San Jose pilot line last August.
“Reaching 14.8% efficiency on a commercial module out of our factory in MS is a significant operational and technical advancement,” said Chet Farris, Stion’s President and CEO. “We plan to continue driving our technical roadmap while maintaining our focus on capital costs and product costs.” Stion made the first commercial shipment from its 100 megawatt production line in Hattiesburg this March.
“This is a truly outstanding result and we congratulate Stion on its rapid progress in Hattiesburg,” said Rommel Noufi, the lead researcher for thin-film solar cells at NREL. “Achieving 14.8% efficiency using a large-area production process indicates that Stion is continuing to make significant innovations in CIGS technology that are reproducible and scalable. It speaks to the continued importance of US-made thinfilm modules in helping meet the Department of Energy’s SunShot goals.”
Stion’s unique approach to CIGS leverages proprietary materials and device expertise along with a robust, high-volume manufacturing process based on readily available, standardized equipment. Utilizing a monolithically integrated circuit design instead of assembling individual cells into a module enables a lower bill of materials and more streamlined manufacturing process.