CSG-1: Manufacturing a New Polycrystalline Silicon PV Technology

Crystalline Silicon on Glass (CSG) is a polycrystalline silicon PV (photovoltaic) technology that requires less than two micrometers of silicon thickness. At the time of this writing in April 2006, production of CSG solar panels is just beginning in a full-scale factory known as CSG-1. It was only 14 months ago, in February 2005, that groundbreaking for this factory occurred. At that time, the technology had only been demonstrated in 900-cm² laboratory samples. This article discusses some of the challenges faced in taking a new PV technology from R&D into production in such a short period of time. Photos of the equipment used for each of the key steps are shown and the experience of commissioning the process is discussed