Abound Solar´s CdTe module manufacturing and product introduction

Abound Solar (formerly AVA Solar) is successfully commercializing a state-of-the-art CdTe PV manufacturing process. Formed in 2007, Abound Solar has ramped to large-scale manufacturing and commercial sales in 30 months. A fully automated production plant has been constructed in Longmont, Colorado and will ultimately have a capacity of 200 MW per year. Total processing time for module fabrication (incoming glass to shipping crate) is approximately 2.5 hours. During semiconductor fabrication, glass substrates enter a single vacuum chamber where all substrate heating, semiconductor film deposition, annealing and back contact formation are performed. Processing is fully automated, performed on a conveyor and has very high materials utilization. A unique module package design has been developed to increase safety and reliability. This progress is based on 15 years of development at Colorado State University by Abound´s three founders and the key support of NREL. Abound Solar demonstrated the ability to produce modules at industry leading low costs to NREL representatives including manufacturing costs below $1.00 per watt and capital equipment costs well below $1.50 per watt of annual manufacturing capacity. An independently performed life cycle analysis shows significantly reduced emissions of air pollutants and anthropogenic greenhouse gases compared to grid passed electricity and other common PV manufacturing technologies.