EQS-News: Meyer Burger and CSEM extend collaboration for the joint development of novel solar cells and modules

• Long-standing research partner supports Meyer Burger for another three years in Switzerland
• Current milestone: Record breaking crystalline silicon solar cell with 25.4 percent certified efficiency 

Meyer Burger Technology Ltd (SIX Swiss Exchange: MBTN) extends the existing collaboration with the Swiss research and development center CSEM. The scientists from CSEM and Meyer Burger Research, the subsidiary responsible for research and development, have been working successfully on new technologies for the production of highly efficient solar cells and modules for more than seven years. The focus of this work is on the transfer of new photovoltaic technologies to industrial mass production towards average manufacturing efficiencies at module level exceeding 24% and the corresponding reduction of manufacturing costs. 

"We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with CSEM. They have supported us significantly in the development of our proprietary Heterojunction/SmartWire technology and made an important contribution to the further commercialisation of our technology", says Gunter Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger Technology Ltd. The milestone currently achieved is the development of a cell process that achieves remarkable efficiencies. Fraunhofer ISE certified an efficiency of 25.4 percent for solar cells on standard industrial wafers manufactured at the Meyer Burger Research Center in Neuchâtel, in close collaboration with CSEM. This is one of the highest efficiencies reported on industrial wafer so far. The process uses contacts on the back to convert additional sunlight into electricity and offers perspective for the simplified, competitive cost manufacturing, ultra-high efficiency crystalline silicon modules.

"Meyer Burger has been a trustful partner for many years now, and we could help them in building up an amazing technology portfolio. It will allow them to play an important role in PV manufacturing over the coming years,' says Christophe Ballif, Vice President of the CSEM and Director of the CSEM PV Center. 

Matthieu Despeisse, responsible for module and heterojunction activities at the CSEM, adds: "It is a great pleasure for the many scientists, engineers and technicians at CSEM to see their projects and concepts being implemented in the industry. Our team is highly motivated to accompany and support Meyer Burger on its new path". 

The collaboration between Meyer Burger and CSEM originated in 2008 through a cooperation with the EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne). In 2013, the cooperation with the CSEM Photovoltaic Center was expanded. Part of the research and industrialisation effort was supported by funds from the European Union, Innosuisse, Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in Germany. 

Media contacts:

Meyer Burger Technology AG
Anne Schneider 
Head Corporate Communications
Tel +49 37 23 671 22 35 | Mob +49 174 349 17 90
[email protected]

Dynamics Group AG
Andreas Durisch, Senior Partner
Tel +41 43 268 27 47 | Mob +41 79 358 87 32
[email protected]

CSEM
Prof Dr Christophe Ballif
Vice-Président Photovoltaics
Tel +41 32 720 54 11 | Mob +41 78 870 69 73
[email protected]

About Meyer Burger Technologies AG:
www.meyerburger.com

Meyer Burger is a leading and globally active technology company specialising in innovative systems and production equipment for the solar photovoltaic market. The company has shaped the development of photovoltaics along the entire value chain and has set essential industry standards, such as the diamond wire saw technology, the industrial PERC solution and precision measurement technology for solar modules. A large proportion of the solar modules produced world-wide today are based on technologies developed by Meyer Burger.

In line with its new business model and strategy, Meyer Burger transforms itself into a manufacturer of high-performance photovoltaic cells and modules, based on its proprietary heterojunction/SmartWire technology. With heterojunction/SmartWire, the Company has developed the next-generation photovoltaic technology with higher conversion efficiency and higher energy yield than the current standard Mono-PERC and other heterojunction technologies currently available. Meyer Burger operates its research and development centers in Thun and Hauterive, Switzerland, its machine industrialization and manufacturing site in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany and will produce the cells and modules in Bitterfeld-Wolfen and Freiberg, Germany. The registered shares in Meyer Burger Technology Ltd are listed at the SIX Swiss Exchange (Ticker: MBTN).

About CSEM:
www.csem.ch

Founded in 1984, the CSEM is a Swiss research and development center (public-private partnership) specializing in photovoltaics, energy management, microtechnology, nanotechnology, microelectronics, systems engineering and communication technologies. Around 500 highly qualified specialists from various scientific and technical disciplines work for the CSEM in Neuchâtel, Zurich, Muttenz, Alpnach and Landquart. The Photovoltaic Center focuses on novel photovoltaic technologies and energy systems and has full R&D pilot lines for photovoltaics, cells and materials, including encapsulation manufacturing and reliability testing. CSEM has also introduced multiple innovations for architecture and colored photovoltaics, for lightweight modules for space and mobility applications, as well as for high performance energy scavengers used, e.g., in watches. It also develops news solutions in the field of digital grids, electrochemical storage, and energy management.