» EcoSeed-ASP seeks $40 million for Florida’s first solar power production plant

Advanced Solar Photonics seeks $40 million for Florida’s first solar power production plant

April 02, 2009

A thin-film solar module manufacturer is seeking $40 million in financing for its demonstration solar module production plant, which it said will be the first of its kind in Florida.

Florida-based Advanced Solar Photonics (APS) said production needs, such as technologies and material suppliers, are already in place and are only awaiting the construction of the 100,000-square foot production plant that it calls SolarFab.

APS said that once SolarFab is built, it will be able to come out with its maximum production of 45 MW of thin-film solar modules annually, even upon initial start. The plant will manufacture the proprietary SunPanel module of APS.

The company expects financing to come from private and public companies interested in developing alternative energy projects.

APS focuses on closing the solar efficiency gap between laboratory and commercial results through better manufacturing techniques, rather than focusing on minimal gains from the cell technology. CIGS technologies, for example, attain as much as 20% efficiency in lab results, but this shrinks to less than 10% when they are commercially introduced.

“It is apparent, with what the material or formula is capable of achieving based on these lab results, the loss comes during the large scale manufacturing. Instead of focusing on trying to increase the efficiency one or two percent we will work on increasing the production efficiency to match the lab results,” APS said.

APS, which also develops laser equipment for manufacturing solar products, uses deposition, laser scribing, and handling, among other technologies, to retain the cell’s lab performance.

“We expect to meet with potential financing partners and review proposals over the next few months, said Edgardo Rodriguez, APS vice president of sales and marketing. “Once this financing is in place, we’ll be able to initiate project completion by the end of the fourth quarter of 2009.”

ASP is a branch of Fonon Technology International, which has secured a 318,000-square foot facility in Florida.


- Eric Dorente

Source:http://www.ecoseed.org/index.php/general-news/green-business/green-business-news/1277-advanced-solar-photonics-seeks-40-million-for-floridas-first-solar-power-production-plant