23 June 2009, Trübbach, Switzerland

As PV module demand increases, the volumes of glass which go to the PV industry are significantly growing. On the contrary, other sectors like the building and automotive sectors are decreasing the glass demand (especially due to the economic crisis). This fact makes glass producers put more effort into understanding the specific requests from the PV industry as their business depends more and more on the PV sector. For a better understanding of all the parties, closer cooperation between glass manufacturers, equipment suppliers and module producers is needed.

This is one of the reasons why Oerlikon Solar, with the support of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), organised a workshop on 23rd June 2009 at its venue in Trübbach, Switzerland. Discussions about glass technology and the need for better cooperation between the glass and Thin Film industries were already held during the 4th International Workshop on Thin Film organised by EPIA and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (EC DG JRC) in Munich, 14th November 2008. 

Another reason includes the main aspects which concern the Thin Film industry regarding glass:  On the one hand, a reduction in cost is a must as glass represents up to 50% of the material cost in PV Thin Film modules; on the other hand, an increase in glass quality is necesary in order to reach higher efficiencies and longer module life-times. Both aspects are necesary in order to increase competitiveness of Thin Film technology.

The workshop was divided into three main sessions. The first one gave an insight into the latest developments related to laser processes during module manufacturing (laser scribing, edge isolation, TCO deposition, etc.) as well as an overview of the requirements from the PV industry to glass producers in terms of quality (flatness, transmittance, etc.). The second session was dedicated to outdoor performance, accelerated aging, corrosion and degradation of glass and modules. The last session looked at aspects of glass manufacture (float vs. rolled glass) and cleaning at the specification and customisation of glass for PV.

Two major topics have been selected as a follow up of the workshop:

• Gaining more insight into the production and cost compliance of rolled glass for Thin Film PV.
• Optimisation of the float glass process towards glass performance increase (in line anti reflective coating and redox adjustment), cost reduction and worldwide product quality stability. 

Please find below all presentations of the Oerlikon workshop on PV Glass Technology held on the 23 June 2009 in Trübbach, Switzerland:

• 1 - Glass for solar conversion systems
• 2 - Thin Film PV technology: Long term stability, anti-reflective coated glass
• 3 - Laser edge deletion of Thin Film solar cells
• 4 - Laser processes for Thin Film silicon PV - Influences on glass specification
• 5 - Solar glass with improved properties
• 6 - Lasers in PV production – Glass related topics
• 7 - Common features of glass surface degradation
• 8 - Accelerated aging tests
• 9 - Glass from the viewpoint of IEC certification
• 9' - CIS glass-glass modules made by Wurth Solar
• 10 - Modular glass cleaning concepts: Applications, challenges and trends
• 11 - Glass properties for a world wide Thin Film PV market
• 12 - Applicability of interfloat rolled glass for solar PV applications
• 13 - Solar glass solutions for PV
• 14 - Properties of glass laminates

For more information, please contact:
Daniel Fraile Montoro, EPIA
d.fraile(at)epia.org
+32 2 400 1062