Meyer Burger(link is external) Research AG is starting pilot production of heterojunction solar cells in Hauterive in the Swiss Canton of Neuchâtel. Field trials will be used to optimise the cell coating process and bring it up to industrial maturity. This is expected to result in a module efficiency of 21%.

The pilot line was jointly developed by the subsidiary of Meyer Burger, the Federal Office of Energy, the CSEM research centre and the Canton of Neuchâtel. The silicon heterojunction technology (or HJT) consists of amorphous silicon layers that are only a few thousandths of a micron thick and are placed on both sides of a monocrystalline silicon wafer. This technology and the fact that the HJT-modules only experience minor losses of efficiency at high temperatures, makes them more efficient than conventional photovoltaic modules.

In addition to making more efficient photovoltaic modules, the process is expected to be less expensive than conventional manufacturing methods. The production method only consists of a few steps and requires a temperature of 200 °C. This temperature is much lower than conventional production methods, which require 700 °C. The technique saves energy and makes it possible to produce thinner silicon wafers. This in turn reduces the material requirements, such as the amount of silver required for the contacts.

Peter Pauli, CEO of the Meyer Burger Group, says: "The industrialised production of high efficiency solar cells is the core element of photovoltaics manufacturing. The Swiss-Inno HJT project is advancing the development of a future-oriented high-efficiency cell technology. In co-operation with CSEM, we will continue to optimise important economic benefits, such as lower production costs and higher energy gains. This will reduce the cost of solar energy in the long term."

The new pilot plant has a production capacity of 600 kW and is part of the project Swiss-Inno HJT, which is funded by the Federal Office of Energy and the Canton of Neuchâtel. Laboratory and field tests will be used to optimise the modules further. After completion of the project Swiss-Inno HJT, the pilot production plant will be used to conduct further research projects under industry-like conditions. If the optimisation works as planned, the project partners expect to achieve a module efficiency of 21% and production costs of less than 0.6 CHF / W (€ 0.499 / W).