Continuous, Automated Manufacturing of String Ribbon Si PV Modules: Second Annual Report, 21 May 1999-20 May 2000

This report describes the activities in manufacturing technology and in silicon ribbon characterization that were completed in the second year of a three-year PVMaT subcontract. The focus in this second year has been on capital cost reduction and automation in silicon ribbon growth, automation and process simplification in the cell area, and some automation in the module area. Evergreen has usedthe capabilities of the Fraunhofer USA Center for Manufacturing Innovation at Boston University for help in factory layout, process flow, and efficient materials flow. Evergreen will be utilizing this as it prepares to move to a multi-megawatt factory in the latter part of 2000. Silicon ribbon characterization work has been provided for us by researchers at NREL. A patent has already been filedon this work, and two more are in preparation. Four papers on different aspects of the work have been or will be presented at various conferences here and abroad. In general, as this report shows, the project is on schedule and the overall goals are being met.