Research Leading to High Throughput Manufacturing of Thin-Film CdTe PV Modules: Annual Subcontract Report, September 2004--September 2005

Specific overall objectives of this subcontract are improvement in baseline field performance of manufactured CdTe PV modules while reducing environmental, health and safety risk in the manufacturing environment. Project objectives focus on four broad categories: 1) development of advanced front-contact window layers, 2) improved semiconductor film deposition, 3) development of improvedaccelerated life test procedures that indicate baseline field performance, and 4) reduction of cadmium-related environmental, health and safety risks. First Solar has significantly increased manufacturing capacity from less than 2 MW/yr to more than 20 MW/yr, while increasing the average module total-area power conversion efficiency from 7% to >9%. First Solar currently manufactures and sells50-65-W thin-film CdTe PV modules at a rate of about 1.9 MW/month. Sales backlog (booked sales less current inventory divided by production rate) is more than a year. First Solar is currently building new facilities and installing additional equipment to increase production capacity by 50 MW/yr; the additional capacity is expected to come on line in the third quarter of 2006.