Final Acceptance Test certification awarded for Applied Materials' SunFab(TM) Thin Film Line 40MW capacity line is the largest thin film solar line in India
NEW DELHI & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 21, 2009--Moser Baer, the global technology company, today announced that its
photovoltaic subsidiary is ready for production of thin film
photovoltaic modules at its manufacturing plant in Greater Noida. This
follows final acceptance test (FAT) certification of Moser Baer
Photovoltaic's SunFab(TM) Thin Film Line supplied by Applied
Materials, Inc., the California-based nanomanufacturing technology
solutions provider. The certification verifies that the SunFab line has
met all manufacturing, module efficiency and yield specifications.
This is a major milestone for both Moser Baer and Applied Materials
representing the start of production of thin film modules by Moser Baer,
which was Applied's first SunFab customer. The 40MW capacity line is the
largest thin film solar line in India. This single junction SunFab line
has demonstrated the highest production capacity to date for
manufacturing the world's largest (2.2m x 2.6m) solar modules.
Commenting on the development, Deepak Puri, the Chairman and Managing
Director of Moser Baer, said: "Moser Baer is pursuing a differentiated
strategy in the high growth photovoltaic business and launching
production of the SunFab thin film solar module line is of great
significance in our effort to bring the solar energy dream to fruition.
The thin film line will help us significantly scale up our manufacturing
capacity and supply thin film solar modules to our customers. The close
relationship we have with Applied has enabled us to quickly ramp up our
Greater Noida facility."
Mike Splinter, Applied Materials' Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are
very pleased to have achieved this key customer sign-off for our thin
film production line, the first SunFab line in India. We are especially
grateful to Moser Baer, our first SunFab customer, for its commitment to
our approach in driving down the cost of solar electricity using 5.7m2
substrates."
The Applied SunFab Thin Film Line is a fully-integrated PV module
production line that delivers leading-edge solar manufacturing
capability using advanced engineering, process equipment, automation and
other key supporting technologies. PV modules produced by Applied's
SunFab line have been certified by the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC), verifying that they meet stringent performance and
safety specifications under challenging environmental conditions.
"This important collaboration established the first advanced thin film
solar facility in India that builds on Applied's proven technology from
the semiconductor and LCD* industries," said Dr. Rajiv Arya, CEO, Moser
Baer Photovoltaic. "Using our manufacturing expertise and Applied's
advanced SunFab solar technology, we will provide the innovative PV
products that can significantly reduce electric power and utility costs
and provide a cost-effective option for clean and renewable energy."
"We are excited to see how rapidly this factory achieved 40MW capacity
production with high yields--a tribute to great teamwork between the
companies," said Dr. Randhir Thakur, senior vice president and general
manager, SunFab Thin Film Solar and Display Business Group at Applied
Materials. "We attribute much of our success in this project to the
strong presence we have had in India for more than five years, during
which time we have built a solid support infrastructure with the
capability to implement complex advanced projects on schedule."
*LCD: liquid crystal display
Moser Baer India Limited (MUMBAI:MOSERBAER), headquartered in New
Delhi, is a leading global technology company. Established in 1983, the
company successfully developed cutting edge technologies to become the
world's second largest manufacturer of optical storage media formats
like blu-ray discs and HD DVD. In recent years, the company has
transformed itself from a single business into a multi-technology
organization, with products for solar energy, home entertainment and IT
peripherals and consumer electronics. Visit www.moserbaer.com.
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) is the global leader in
Nanomanufacturing Technology(TM) solutions with a broad portfolio of
innovative equipment, service and software products for the fabrication
of semiconductor chips, flat panels, solar photovoltaic cells, flexible
electronics and energy efficient glass. At Applied Materials, we apply
Nanomanufacturing Technology to improve the way people live. Learn more
at www.appliedmaterials.com.
CONTACT: Applied Materials
Betty Newboe, 408-563-0647 (technical media)
Michael Sullivan, 408-986-7977 (financial community)
or
Moser Baer
Monica Srivastava, +91-11-40501240
+91-9899045863
msrivastava@corvoshandwick.co.in
Source: Applied Materials, Inc.
