Tokyo, Japan--CIS thin-film solar photovoltaic manufacturer Solar Frontier and solar system integrator BELECTRIC (Kolitzheim, Germany) announced the completion and grid connection of the world's largest CIS thin-film solar power plant in Bochow, Brandenburg, Germany. Frontier Solar says the copper, indium, selenium (CIS)-based thin-film solar power plant shows the increasing significance of CIS technology in the project business and the confidence major banks have in Solar Frontier and its products. The plant also underlines the deep working relationship between Solar Frontier and BELECTRIC in the project segment, which was further strengthened in March 2012 through the creation of a new joint venture company, PV CIStems GmbH.
Approximately 205,000 Solar Frontier CIS thin-film modules have been installed in Bochow, Brandenburg. Solar Frontier modules operate in less-than-optimal conditions such as low light, delivering more kilowatt hours. Their uniformly black finish also offers aesthetic integration into landscapes. "This collaboration with Solar Frontier is another milestone in our partnership. We decided to realize this project with Solar Frontier due to the efficiency and reliability of their CIS modules. Moreover, Solar Frontier’s long-term strategy and manufacturing expertise of CIS thin-film modules were additional key decision-making criteria for us," said Bernhard Beck, CEO BELECTRIC Solarkraftwerke GmbH.
The Solar Frontier CIS thin-film modules used for this project were produced at Solar Frontier's gigawatt-scale Kunitomi plant in Miyazaki, Japan, the world’s largest CIS production plant. Certifications issued by TUV Rheinland Japan (in accordance with IEC), Underwriters Laboratories, and BRE Global (in accordance with Microgeneration Certification Scheme MCS) underline Solar Frontier’s high quality standard for world-wide distribution. Certifications for salt and ammonia resistance confirm the modules' suitability for installation in coastal and agricultural areas.
Solar Frontier, a 100% subsidiary of Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K., established the world's first gigawatt-scale CIS module factory in 2011 with a mission to create the most economical, ecological solar energy solutions in the world, on the world's largest scale. The critical factors that combine to make CIS the overall economical and ecological leader include high efficiency modules and production processes as well as superior reliability, stability, sustainability, non-toxicity, and lower overall energy consumption in manufacturing to yield a faster energy payback time.
SOURCE: Solar Frontier; http://www.solar-frontier.com/news/201
