Release–Masdar PV Further Reduces its Ecological Footprint
Protecting the climate with its high-tech thin-film solar modules and thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one of Masdar PV´s major objectives. That is why the company has decided to implement a new chamber cleaning process provided by their business partner The Linde Group.
“To produce our large-scale thin-film solar modules, the glass coating takes place in the so-called Plasma CVD equipment. Within this process step, all the layers of amorphous silicon are created by applying different types of gas, which result in the absorbing film of the solar module. After each coating cycle the chambers of this CVD tool need to be cleaned to ensure high quality products”, explains Dr. Rainer Gegenwart, CEO of Masdar PV. Usually, the greenhouse gas nitrogen trifluoride – which is severely more damaging if accidentally released into the atmosphere then regular CO2 – is used for this purpose. Linde together with Masdar PV will now provide a zero global warming solution with its new on-site generated fluorine (F2) supply. Furthermore, by employing this new type of gas cleaning, less energy is required in the production process, thus enhancing energy payback time of the solar modules. This opens up another competitive advantage for Masdar PV thin-film modules, especially in comparison to crystalline solar cells.
“Fluorine removes risks of PFC gas emissions, reduces non-productive cleaning time and improves throughput. Therefore we have a rare situation where environmental responsibility and profit align to form a unique win-win situation for Masdar PV,” says Ian Travis, Manager of Linde`s on-site Fluorine business. “We are one of the pioneers in the PV-module industry by installing Linde`s new chamber cleaning technology. Combined with the best cost-performance ratio currently available on the market, we mark another milestone in environmental protection with our innovative, thin-film solar modules. We are ready to make a difference”, adds Dr. Rainer Gegenwart.