Signet sets out thin film expansion plan

US solar manufacturer Signet Solar has become the latest firms to break into the booming thin film solar market, after yesterday announcing that it has begun volume production at its manufacturing plant in Mochau, Germany.

The company said the facility had received Final Acceptance Test (FAT) certification from accreditation provider from SGS Germany and would begin shipping thin film modules, primarily for use in solar farms or large-scale rooftop deployments, within a matter of weeks.

The plant, which represents the first commercial use of nanotechnology manufacturing systems provider Applied Materials SunFab production line, is now expected to ramp up to its full production capacity of 20 MW per year.

However, with Signet reportedly boasting orders for 150MW through to 2011, chief executive Rajeeva Lahri said the company was now seeking to move its technology up to "gigawatt scale" as part of an expansion plan designed to ultimately deliver cost parity with grid energy.

The company said it now plans to increase capacity at the German facility to up to 130MW by the end of 2009 and is also reported to be planning a new 350MW facility in the Indian city of Chennai with work on the plant expected to start early next year.

The news comes as solar firms continued to shrug off fears of recession and attract fresh investment.

US solar installation specialist Standard Solar last week announced it had raised $8.5m to scale up its operations in response to the expected increase in demand for solar panels that experts predict will follow the recent extension of US solar tax credits.

Meanwhile, Norwegian aluminium giant Hydro has confirmed that it has shelled out $15m to increase its stake in thin film solar manufacturer Ascent Solar from 26.5 per cent to 35 per cent.

Einar Glomnes, head of Hydro's solar business unit, said that the move, which takes the amount invested by Hydro in the business to $63m, represented a strategically important investment, adding that the two firms had also inked a deal that would see them co-operate on the development of building integrated solar systems.