Building a cost-effective, fabrication facility for silicon solar cell R&D and production

A research and development and production facility for high-concentration silicon solar cells has been built by Sun-Power Corporation utilizing existing, surplus production equipment and fabrication facilities. It has been possible to create a 10 MW/year production capability while spending only 25% of the original equipment and facilities price. The 158 m/sup 2/ (1700 ft/sup 2/), class 100 clean room facility has produced silicon concentrator cells with efficiencies greater than 26% and one-sun silicon cells in the 22% range. To date, over 100 kW of cells have been manufactured.