Shanghai Electric and the Manz Group join forces insolar technology development
The Manz Group a globally active high-tech equipment manufacturer and Shanghai Electric, the leading power and electrical group in China, have reached a strategic partnership agreement. Through acquiring shares in the Manz Group, Shanghai Electric has become one of the company’s major investors and will support Manz in developing advanced technologies in the areas of energy storage, electronics and solar power.Shanghai Electric will leverage its resources to help Manz in developing technology in key segments, including CIGS thin-film solar technology. The current priority for the two firms is to create value locally by pooling their resources and providing exclusiveaccess to Manz’s advanced technology.
“Manz has been widely recognized in the global market. Our exclusivecollaboration withthe ZSW , leading researchinstitute in CIGStechnology, our extensive experience in mass production and unique technologies developed by our engineering team have made us a highly sought-after partner, not only in the CIGS solar segment. With the investment, business insights and resources from Shanghai Electric, we are in a great position to help Chinese customers to improve CIGS module efficiency and manufacture them locally,” said Dieter Manz, CEO of Manz Group.
According to the13th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the People’s Republic of China, there will be a year-on-year growth of 15-to-20 gigawatts of power generated by solar photovoltaic technology in China from year 2016 to 2020. The country has achieved the highest PV power generation growth rate in the world to date.
Solar energy has become one of the most popular renewable energy sources in the twenty first century. As such, development and use of solar energy has been identified by the Chinese government as a key strategy in the country’s sustainable development. The government is openly encouragingthe solar photovoltaic industry to cooperate with overseas supplier to enhance their technological capabilities.
The Chinese government has established three parameters with regard to innovation in solar photovoltaic power technology – namely percentage of local production, efficiency of mass production and power generation cost per kilowatt-hour. Manz has already demonstrated that production costs of2.5 RMB/Wand OPEX of 0.35 RMB/kilowatt-hour are absolutely realistic and can be achieved with the Manz CIGSfab .
The challenges that China currently faces in CIGS technology include weak infrastructure, absence of a national research platform and lack of technological know-how. The photovoltaic industry cannot thrive without reducing those gaps. With Manz’s
over 40-years of experience and advanced production technology, such obstacles will be overcome once the company sets up its CIGSfab in China.
“With our core CIGS intellectual property and technology, we are the perfect partner for local value creation. Aligned with the Chinese government’s “the Belt and Road” economic initiative, the partnership of Manz and Shanghai Electric will increase the cooperation in thephotovoltaicindustry between China and overseas markets,” said Manz.
The Manz Group is the world’s only provider of a fully integrated, turnkey production line for CIGS thin-film solar modules. The exclusive partnership allows Manz to access ZSW’srecord-breaking 22% CIGS efficiency on cell-level to enhance the potential of CIGS technology in China.
Manz maintains an innovative“CIGSinnoline”production line that enables the company to run tests on new materials in an environment similar to customers’ factories before they place an order. The goal is to increase efficiency while decreasing production costs at the same time.
In addition, Manz’s IP and technology can help Chinese customers to run a stable process 24/7, enjoy the highest yield and efficiency, upgrade their manufacturing capability and maximize module efficiency.
Choosing Manz means selecting a strong and reliable partner.Advantages of the Manz CIGS thin-film technology are:
Lowest production costsof 2.5 RMB/W: Manz has demonstrated that production costs of 2.5 RMB/W are realistic and achievable with the Manz CIGSfab.
Highest efficiency in mass production: The Manz CIGSfab has an average guaranteed module efficiency of 14.6% today, making it the currently most efficient (module and aperture area) turnkey line.
Significant potential to increase efficiency: Manz’s R&D partner ZSW achieved record cell performance with an efficiency of 22% on rigid substrates, and Manz’s record panel delivers a module efficiency of 16 %.
Internal Rate of Return (IRR) over 15%: As a technology leader, Manz offers a secure investment with maximum profitability.
With these advantages, Manz can help Chinese customers to significantly reduce cost and create value locally by:
Using local materials
Reducing the cost of producing and setting up manufacturing equipment
Manufacturing in facilities in China
Increasing integration within the production process
Establishing a knowledge system among local engineers and operators
The investment of Shanghai Electric is an outstanding push for Manz’s development in key technological areas. Interested parties can learn more about Manz’s advanced CIGS technology by visiting its booth (#535, Exhibition Hall E3) at the SNEC PV POWER EXPO 2016.
