Shell/Saint-Gobain to Produce CIS Solar Panels

Shell Erneuerbare Energien GmbH ('Shell') and Saint-Gobain Glass Deutschland GmbH, have announced a joint venture to begin solar power panel manufacturing based on advanced CIS (copper indium di-selenide) technology. The joint venture was recently approved by the European Commission.

The new entity AVANCIS KG will commence construction of the production facilities with operations likely to commence in 2008. The initial annual capacity of the plant will be 20 MW with options for rapid expansion. The joint venture will combine Shell's CIS technology expertise, supported by eight years of CIS marketing experience, with Saint-Gobain's global and in-depth know-how of glass processing and building material manufacturing. Graeme Sweeney, Shell's Executive Vice-President of Renewables, Hydrogen and CO2 said: "Based on our R&D experience in Munich, where the laboratory line delivered record 13.5% efficiency, we believe this facility can achieve industry-leading performance amongst thin-film technologies." This is another effort trying to capitalize on the shortage of silicon with a thin-film technology that may be superior in cost to silicon, but which would have had a much harder time cracking into the market were it not for the silicon shortage. CIS is another solar cell technology with advantages very similar to CIGS technology. Earlier this year Shell sold its silicon cell facilities to concentrate their efforts on CIS.