Jan 31 2011
SCHOTT Solar has declared plans to increase its worldwide photovoltaic module manufacturing capacity to over 800 MW in 2011.
As per the plans, the company will invest in its production facilities in Germany to increase the wafer capacity and expand its international module production network through a joint venture with China-based Hareon Solar Technology.
The joint venture will add an extra 300 MW of SCHOTT Solar module production capacity to SCHOTT Solar’s sites in the Czech Republic and in the US with a total capacity of 500 MW. Both companies are holding equal shares in the newly established joint venture. SCHOTT Solar will monitor all vital management roles to assure quality and durability. The company will establish a unique quality assurance center in China to support the objective.
SCHOTT Solar will increase the wafer manufacturing capacity to 500 MW in 2011at its German plants. The company will increase the workforce of its wafer unit in Jena in the coming months. The German facilities are currently producing 125 million solar silicon wafers annually, equivalent to four wafers per second.
SCHOTT Solar produces solar cells in the Alzenau location in Germany where its research and development center is also located. In the US, the company is producing solar modules with a total capacity of 90 MW annually in Albuquerque, New Mexico.