Solar module manufacturing

A new solar manufacturing facility opened this week in Sunnyvale, California.  Atlumin Energy, Inc. creates materials for renewable energy, including specialty chemicals and alloys.  In January 2010, the company will ship its first products to customers in the solar module market.

Among the first items will include rotary sputtering targets, which are used in thin film solar panels.  Eventually, Atlumin will manufacture a range of products for solar module manufacturers.

Just in case you are wondering what a “solar module” is?  Here is Wikipedia to the rescue:

A photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel is a packaged interconnected assembly of photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells. The photovoltaic module, known more commonly as the solar panel, is then used as a component in a larger photovoltaic system to offer electricity for commercial and residential applications.

The definition of a “sputtering target” is explained as follows: Functional layers are manufactured from planar and rotary targets for thin film solar cells into solar cells.

As back contact with optimal adhesion on the glass substrate and high conductivity thin films of the target materials provide an important prerequisite for the performance of the solar cell.

While this explanation may not make sense to the usual consumer, scientists will appreciate the fact that solar manufacturers are working on continuous optimization of applied materials and manufacturing processes.  R&D in the development and production of sputtering targets will result in increasing performance of thin film solar cells.

With respect to Atlumin Energy, its location in California may be key to their customers’ manufacturing sites and development.  A short drive away from many of its customers, local solar manufacturing can reduce time and expense for everyone along the development chain.