Since introducing thefirst thick film metal-lization pastes forsolar cells in the1970s, Ferro has con-tinued to innovate to make PV a morecost-competitive energy alternative.The leading supplier of solar materials,its products help increase electrical

Karsten Xander,CEO and President,TÜV SÜD AmericaInc. and Dr. Ing.Robert Puto, GlobalPV Director, TÜVSÜD, tell us about their company.

SPDN: Tell our readers a little about

The photovoltaicindustry is rapidlyexpanding and so arethe aspirations of PVmodule manufactur-ers, with many look-ing to sell their products in multiplecountries and regions around the world.But modules must be certified before

Matthew Holzmann,President of Chris-topher Associates,shares about hiscompany.

SPDN: Tell our readers a little aboutyour company. What’s your main line ofbusiness?

Bill Thomas andWill Hunter ofFlexLink discusswhat their companybrings to the solarpower marketplace.

SPDN: Describe your company and tar-get end users.

Joseph DeBiase,Senior Vice President& General Manager,Henkel AdhesiveT e c h n o l o g i e s ,Engineered Adhesivesand Surface Solutions talks about hiscompany.

San FranciscoOser Communicat ions GroupThursday, July 14, 2011

Bob Hayworth, Chairman & CEO ofBaja Construction, shares why his com-pany is so prolific in the solar industry.

SPDN: Baja Construction—what doyou do?

BH: Baja, established in 1981, is a

Bob Dill, President ofHisco Inc., explainshis company’s supplychain conribution.

SPDN: Tell our read-ers a little about your company. What’syour main line of business?

Certification for keyNorth AmericanPhotovoltaic safetyrequirement

TÜV Rheinland PTL,LLC, North America’s largest solar andphotovoltaic testing company, wasapproved by the U.S. Occupational

Juergen Fehr,President of JetionSolar USA, discusseshis company’s innova-tive contributions tothe PV market.

SPDN: Tell our readers a little aboutJetion Solar USA.What’s your main line

SPARQ Systems Inc.,an Ontario-basedglobal provider ofsolar photovoltaic(PV) inverters, ispleased to announcethat it has received both U.S. andCanadian certifications for its solar pho-tovoltaic microinverter system. The certi-

The companies exhibitingat this year’s Israeli pavil-ion have designed a widescope of projects thatimprove standing solarplants and upgrade existingtechnology to make opera-tions svelte, more durableand more profitable. Amitec offers a

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ISRAELI PAVILION OFFERSA GLANCE AT THE FUTUREOF A GREEN ECONOMY

SPARQ SYSTEMS RECEIVESU.S. CERTIFICATION FORMICROINVERTER SYSTEM

JETION SOLAR USAʼS HIGHSTANDARDS AND INNOVATIONARE SECRETS TO SUCCESS

FERRO PIONEERSNEXT GENERATIONSOLAR MATERIALS

INTERTEKʼS KEY STEPSTO RAPID GLOBAL PVMODULE CERTIFICATION

TÜV SÜD PROVIDESGLOBAL EXPERIENCEAND LOCAL EXPERTISE

HISCO INC.: PREMIER NORTHAMERICAN DISTRIBUTORFOR SOLAR INDUSTRY

BAJA—WHY ARE THEYWINNING SO MANYSOLAR DEALS?

HENKEL CORP: GLOBALLEADER IN ADHESIVES,SEALANTS & TREATMENTS

FLEXLINK LEADS THE WAYIN GLOBAL PRODUCTIONLOGISTICS SOLUTIONS

CHRISTOPHER ASSOCIATES:TAILORED SOLUTIONS FORTHE PV INDUSTRY

TÜV RHEINLAND PTL GETSOSHA APPROVAL FOR ANSI/UL 1703 CERTIFICATION

AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION

Solar Power Dai ly NewsThursday, July 14, 20114

GLOBAL SOLAR ENERGYʼS POWER-FLEX BIPV: THE MOST POWERFULFLEXIBLE MODULE IN ROOFINGThe building integrated photovoltaic(BIPV) market is one of the fastest grow-ing segments of the solar industry.According to industry research firmNanoMarkets, the sector will be worth$6.1 billion worldwide by 2016. In part,this is because BIPV has opened uptremendous new options to the buildingindustry. It offers both aesthetic and func-tional value beyond power generationwhile also lowering costs from adesigned-in approach to PV.

Global Solar Energy, the leadingmanufacturer of high-efficiency CopperIndium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS)solar material and flexible BIPV roof-ing modules, recognized that the build-ing industry has not been able to fullyoptimize the real estate on the rooftopwith solar solutions that were currentlyavailable. In response, the companyworked closely with commercial andindustrial roofing professionals indesigning their breakthrough flexible

module: the PowerFLEX™ BIPV.PowerFLEX BIPV replaces heavy,

rigid glass modules and metal rackingstructures that often can’t be applied tocommercial rooftops because ofweight limitations. The lightweightdesign of the PowerFLEX BIPV meansit can be applied directly to a roofingsurface—requiring no mounting

HERAEUSʼ SOL200 SERIES BACK-SIDEPROVIDES COST SAVINGS WITHEXCELLENT PERFORMANCEHeraeus PhotovoltaicBusiness Unit, a worldleader in developingfront and back-side met-allization pastes for crys-talline solar cells, ishighlighting its newSOL200 Series for back-side tabbing conductorsfor mono and multicrys-talline silicon solar cellwafers at the Intersolar

North America 2011,exhibiting at booth9357. The SOL200Series of pastes hasdemonstrated lowerpaste laydown whilemaintaining excellentsolderability withboth leaded and lead-free solders whilemaintaining highadhesion and high Continued on Page 41

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electrical performance.The fluctuating but currently high

market price of silver has made the priceof silver metallization pastes a concernfor crystalline silicon cell manufacturers.The need for both high performance sil-ver-based pastes for improved cell per-formance and cost-effective conductingmaterials is a critical requirement for PVmanufacturers. Heraeus has addressedthese needs with the SOL200 Series.

Following the successful developmentand market introduction of SOL230 a fewyears ago, Heraeus developed the newSOL200 Series for back-side tabbing con-ductors that have demonstrated lower pastelaydown while maintaining good solder-

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Solar Power Daily News is published byOser Communications Group ©2011,

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AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOTAFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION

Solar Power Dai ly NewsThursday, July 14, 201112

Schneider Electric will present full solarsolutions at Intersolar North America inbooth 7510. The renewable energiesbusiness of Schneider Electric is focusedon designing and developing photovoltaicproducts and solutions and providingbest-in-class, global customer serviceand technical support. Schneider Electricprovides the full solution from the panelDC output to the grid connection, includ-ing monitoring and supervision.

Among the products displayed willbe the new Xantrex XC 1000 Vdc inverter,which will be available for shipment inearly 2012. The XC Series is a new line ofcentral inverters designed for high effi-ciency and flexibility for any PV paneltype and installation. The XC series haspeak efficiencies of 98.7 percent and itsflexibility allows the inverter to be con-figured with voltage and power outputsup to 680 kVA. In addition, the XC seriesis designed to allow for DC inputs up to1000 Vdc for longer string lengths.

Other products at the booth willinclude:• Conext™ Series Grid Tie SolarInverters, a new line of single- and smallthree-phase inverters, featuring modelsranging from 1.5 to 20 kW;• Schneider Electric™ Xantrex™ XWMPPT 80 600 Solar Charge Controller,which accepts voltages up to 600VDCand tracks the maximum power point of aPV array to efficiently deliver up to 80 Aof charge current to storage batteries in

24 V or 48 V systems;• Schneider Electric Xantrex GT30 Grid-Tie Solar Inverter, a three-phase inverterthat delivers 120/208 Vac out of the boxand can be used as a building block forlarger systems, and• PV Box, a pre-wired equipment pack-age specifically designed to meet thegrowing demand of a large-scale grid-tied solar farms and large commercialinstallations.

About Schneider ElectricAs a global specialist in energy manage-ment with operations in more than 100countries, Schneider Electric offers inte-grated solutions across multiple marketsegments, including leadership positionsin energy and infrastructure, industrialprocesses, building automation and datacentres/networks, as well as a broad pres-ence in residential applications. Focusedon making energy safe, reliable and effi-cient, the company’s 110,000 plusemployees achieved sales of 19.6 billioneuros in 2010, through an active commit-ment to help individuals and organiza-tions “Make the most of their energy.”Visit www.schneider-electric.com formore information.

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC TOSHOWCASE SOLAR SOLUTIONSAT INTERSOLAR NORTH AMERICA

Optical metrology is a major tool to controlthe manufacturing of solar cells. Whetherthe concentration of acids has to be moni-tored or the coating thickness of a finishinglayer has to be controlled, the MultiSpecspectrometer system can handle mostspectroscopic applications. Cassette-based, the spectrometer and light sourceunits can be selected over a wide rangein accordance to the actual demand, from190nm up to 2200nm. An example is aDeuterium-Halogen shine-through lampin combination with a UV-VIS and aspecial NIR module. The electronics anddriver merge the spectral data.

For the individual application, vari-ous measurement heads can be easilyconnected to the spectrometer system byfiber-optic light guides. For measure-ments in liquids, a wide range of immer-sion probes is readily available. And aspecially designed RTP head can handlethe acquisition of reflectivity and trans-mission data even simultaneously.

The used spectrometer modulesare maintenance free, i.e. the wave-length is permanently calibrated. Evenminor changes in spectral behavior canbe detected. Only the light bulbs haveto be exchanged after a couple of

thousand hours. The Xe flash lampversion avoids even that.

The overall efficiency of the systemsis very high, therefore measurementtimes in the millisecond range can typi-cally be realized, acquiring hundreds ofspectra within a second. This renders itthe perfect tool to analyze solar simula-tors, so-called flashers. A seamless super-vision of most processes can be set up.However, if a fast update of data is notnecessary, the high rate can be used toimprove the already high accuracy byaveraging. Intensity accuracies of 10-6can be realized.

The MultiSpec Pro is a multi-pur-pose software with various add-on mod-ules which controls all aspects around thedata acquisition, information determina-tion as well as feedback signals. Up to 32parallel channels can be mastered.

For more information, please visittec5USA at booth 5719 andwww.tec5usa.com or call 516-653-2000.

FAST & HIGHLY RELIABLEMULTI-PURPOSE PROCESSCONTROL SPECTROMETERSYSTEM FROM TEC5USA

Solar Power Dai ly News 17Thursday, July 14, 2011

AZTEC WASHER COMPANYFUSES QUALITY, SERVICE,PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTFounded with the mission to provide pre-mium products and drive down costs tocustomers, Aztec Washer Company Inc.has succeeded in producing quality linesof pipe flashing and bonded washersmatched with unsurpassed customerservice. Having served the HVAC andconstruction industries for 40 years, andmost recently taking the solar industry bystorm, Aztec possesses a well-built repu-tation for competitive dependability.

An in-house lab provides top-ratecompounds for the 11 styles of Master

Flash® currently available, plus the abilityto develop apt products to meet evolvingdemands of the market. With a 20-yearwarranty as a standard for all Aztec MasterFlash products, the IAPMO certified/UPClisted products are suitable for use withdouble-wall heated pipes—also known astype-b vents—as well as many other appli-cations. Their parts are nothing short ofexceptional, indicated by an ISO 9001 cer-tification and customer satisfaction aroundthe globe. The unique qualifications ofproducts along with commitment and

loyalty to customers setAztec apart from inferioroffshore counterparts andtheir attempts to imitateMaster Flash.

Master Seal Washersare bonded through aunique process that allowsfor optimal resistance toweathering from ozone,ultraviolet light and chemical agents. Thewashers are designed to provide a perma-nent seal in applications where expansionand contraction of metal occur, such asmetal roofs and siding. With the widerange of inner diameter sizes as well as avariety of backing and facing materials,Aztec Washer Company can provide awasher to suit your unique application.

The service team works personally

with clients to ensure theirneeds and satisfaction are met.Worldwide locations includingMexico, Germany, UK, Polandand Australia allow promptdelivery no matter where thedestination. A large volumestock and lengthy shippinghours provide the basis forsuperior shipping options,

giving their customers just-in-timedelivery service. The fusion of quality,service and product development iswhat has brought Aztec to its leadershipposition in the past four decades andcontinued success in the future.

Learn more about specific parts byvisiting www.aztecwasher.com or callinga customer service representative at 800-WASHER-5.

SPUTTERING MADE EASY WITHNEW DC POWER SUPPLIES FROMHUETTINGER ELECTRONIC, INC.The production of thin layer solar cellsinvolves using photoactive semiconduc-tors to coat the glass substrate extensively.A simple but cardinal rule in this processis: The better the quality of the depositedlayers, the higher the efficiency of thefinished solar cell. The requirements forthe power supplies that deliver the neces-sary power for the coating process aretherefore clear: They have to producethin and homogenous layers while main-taining efficient production. For sputter-

ing processes, which are main productionsteps in solar cell manufacturing, HUET-TINGER provides generators that fulfillthese requirements.

Especially for sputtering processeswhich solar manufacturers use to depositTCO such as aluminum-doped zinc oxides(AZO) or indium tin oxide (ITO), HUET-TINGER has developed the TruPlasmaDC Series 3000 NEW. Available with out-puts of two to 160 kilowatts, these directcurrent generators facilitate thin and

homogenous layers, even in high-arcingprocesses like TCO sputtering.

Yet what makes the TruPlasma DCSeries 3000 NEW so special?

Mainly it’s the system’s innovativearc management system CompensateLine,which HUETTINGER has once againimproved. If an arc occurs,CompensateLine balances the storedenergy in the output circuit as well as inthe connection cable between the genera-tor and the cathode even more efficiently.This results in a very fast generator

response time on the arc and keeps resid-ual energy to a minimum. It enables theproduction of high-quality TCO filmswith significantly higher deposition ratesthan of those with a pulsed DC power sup-ply. High deposition rates increase theproductivity of the TCO process. In addi-tion, the cost of the power supply isreduced. The continuous DC power sup-ply functions well without the expensive,high-power switching stages that are nec-essary for pulsed DC power supplies.With increased productivity and reducedinvestment cost, the TruPlasma DC Series3000 NEW pays off twice for the user.

For more information about HUET-TINGER Electronic, Inc., please visitbooth 5321, call 800-910-0035 or emailinfo@us.huettinger.com.

TIGO ENERGY ANNOUNCES THEINTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW HIGHER-POWERED MAXIMIZER PRODUCTSTigo Energy, the market leader in mod-ule-level DC power electronics, hasannounced the introduction of twohigher-powered products in theirMaximizer line. The 350-wattMaximizer (MM-ES) can be used withmodules up to 350 watts, while the600-watt Maximizer (MM2-ES) canprovide Maximium Power Point

Control for two modules at once. Bothproducts are compatible with TigoEnergy’s industry-leading MaximizerSystem, which offers unmatched effi-ciency, cost and reliability.

As module power continues togrow, power electronics must supportcorrespondingly higher power levels. Ifnot, the electronics will clip power

when the modules are producing attheir peak—which not only sacrificespower, but also generates additionalheat behind the module. Modules oftenproduce higher power than their name-plate capacity (particularly with cloudedge effects, when light intensity canbe 1,200 w/m2), so it is best to leave abuffer between the power rating of themodule and the power rating of theelectronics.

Tigo Energy’s ability to offer higher-power products is due to its patentedImpedance Matching technology, whichachieves an industry-best 99.5-percentefficiency, and can easily scale to any

power level necessary. In contrast, micro-inverters have much lower power limits,typically around 215 watts.

In addition, the 600-watt Maximizer(MM2-ES), which can handle two mod-ules at once, cuts the number ofMaximizer components by half, makinginstallation faster and more convenient.The MM2-ES is offered in the samehousing as the single Maximizers—mak-ing it, by far, the smallest and most effi-cient option of all module-level powerelectronics on the market.

For more information, visit TigoEnergy at booth 7646 and www.tigoenergy.com or email sales@tigoenergy.com.

SOLAR IN THE CLOUD: CLOUDCOMPUTING & THE VIRTUAL POWERPLANT WITH METEOCONTROLBenjamin Compton, C.O.O. & V.P. ofCommercial Operations at meteocontrolNorth America, a global leader in solarperformance, authors today’s guest post.

There is a Cloud looming on the horizon,but not the typical cloud solar systemowners scorn. While clouds threaten sys-tem performance by blocking the sun,this Cloud holds great promise for thesolar industry.

Few terms are hotter than CloudComputing. Although the Cloud’s originsdate back to the 1960s and run deepthrough the IT and Web-technology land-

scape, the solar industry is now recogniz-ing the Cloud’s ability to help maximizesolar yield from any Internet-connecteddevice.

Today, the solar industry requiresdata and information to be mobile, trans-ferable and immediately accessible. Thisinformation increases productivity, pro-vides real-time performance analysis andallows teams to communicate and collab-orate, regardless of physical proximity.

But what does this have to do withthe solar industry at large and how is thisshift to virtualization increasing solarperformance and bankability?

The Cloud’s Impact on Solar YieldVirtualization—using a virtual (ratherthan actual) version of something,including software, memory, data, etc.—is quickly becoming a highly valued assetfor the entire solar industry.

meteocontrol is leading the solarCloud movement, and currently monitorsmore than three GW in more than 20,000PV systems! These are HUGE numbersthat will continue to increase as morestates and provinces pass legislationrequiring utilities to increase renewableenergy production.

For example, meteocontrol’s sophis-ticated safer’Sun monitoring platformdelivers all key performance indicators tosystem operators, including power pur-chase agreement (PPA) providers, energyservice companies (ESCOs), utilities,construction and EPC firms, from anydevice with Internet connection.

These organizations are using theCloud to achieve greater profitabilityfrom solar performance than ever before.Decision makers are tapping virtualiza-tion services to read PV systems yieldvalues to boost system efficiency.

The Cloud’s Impact on InvestorsRemote or Cloud-based performancemonitoring with built-in analytical algo-rithms and automated alarm managementallows for prompt responses to any

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Solar Power Dai ly NewsThursday, July 14, 201120

BD: Hisco is the leading distributor ofmaterials for the North American photo-voltaic industry. We have 33 stockinglocations throughout the U.S.A., Mexicoand Canada. Our vendor partners includetrusted brands like 3M, Henkel-Loctite,Momentive Performance Materials,Hosiden, alpha metals, Bixby and others.

SPDN: What would you say makesHisco unique?

BD: Our unrivaled commitment to thesolar industry makes Hisco unique. Wehave invested in 40 certified solar spe-cialists to provide local support to ourcustomers in the U.S.A., Mexico andCanada. No other distributor canmatch that.

SPDN: Are you introducing any newproducts?

BD: Always! Hisco continuously bringsleading edge products to the marketplace.Some examples include new junctionboxes and connectors, tapes, adhesivesand encapsulants.

SPDN: How does Hisco help PV cus-tomers reduce their manufacturing costs?

BD: Reducing cost for our customers isin the Hisco DNA. We provide supplychain optimization, vendor consolida-tion, local stocking, vendor managedinventory ... the list goes on and on.However, it’s all smoke and mirrorsunless we can quantify the value webring. Our Documented Cost Savingsprogram provides customers with harddata regarding the amount Hisco hassaved them. In the 11 years of this pro-gram, we have realized more than $70million in cost savings for our cus-tomers―last year alone was more than$7 million, with an average saving per

Hisco (Con’t. from p. 1) customer of more than $58,000. Thoseare customer-verified, documented sav-ings. We are very proud of this and Ithink it speaks to our commitment toour customers.

SPDN: Who are your customers?

BD: Module assemblers represent a sig-nificant percentage of our customer base.Contract manufacturers, inverter compa-nies and government labs all use ourservices. I guess that’s the great thingabout our business model—our valuetranslates across the board. All these dif-ferent types of companies in the PVecosystem benefit from reducing theircost of consumables.

SPDN: What do you foresee for theNorth American PV manufacturingindustry?

BD: Contrary to conventional wisdom, I

don’t believe we will see an acceleratedrate of manufacturing consolidation in2012. The PV business environmentremains dynamic. Government policiesare constantly shifting, pricing pressurecontinues to mount, new players areentering all the time and technology con-tinues to evolve. Our plan is to remainnimble, stay on the leading edge and con-tribute to our customers’ success regard-less of their technological approach.

SPDN: To what do you attribute yourcompany’s success?

BD: Our people. Absolutely no question.Hisco is an employee-owned company.The level of accountability, teamworkand service from our employee-owners isunrivaled.

For more information, please visit HiscoInc. at booth 9465 and or emailbandrew@hiscoinc.com.

of business?

JF: Jetion Solar USA is a subsidiary ofJetion Solar China Ltd. and one of thelargest designers, manufacturers andsuppliers of high-efficiency solar cellsand reliable solar modules which con-vert sunlight directly into electricalenergy. We supply products worldwidefrom our production facilities in Chinaas well as in Charlotte, N.C.

SPDN: What would you say makesJetion Solar USA unique?

JF: Jetion Solar owns and controls themanufacturing of all our products frombeginning to finish, so that we canguarantee the extremely high standardswe have set out for our modules. Wealso maintain our own R&D depart-ment, which develops the latest in PVtechnology, and we have incorporateda number of our own patents into ourproducts. We maintain a sales andservice facility at our plant inCharlotte, N.C., in order to providebetter customer service for ourU.S. customers.

SPDN: What has Jetion Solar USA done

to penetrate the U.S. market?

JF: Jetion Solar’s decision to make amajor investment in a manufacturing,warehousing and sales facility inCharlotte, N.C. points to the commitmentof Jetion Solar’s interest in servicing theU.S. market.

SPDN: What is Jetion Solar USA’S goalin the U.S.A.?

JF: Jetion Solar is striving to become theleading supplier of PV modules in theU.S.A. We are confident our qualityproducts and fair pricing will establishour reputation among the renewableenergy industry as a reliable suppliersource for PV products, as reflected inJetion Solar’s receiving the award forbeing the “FASTEST GROWING COM-PANY” from Deloitte Technology FAST50 CHINA 2008.

SPDN: What is Jetion Solar USA’S cor-porate philosophy?

JF: To become a good corporate citi-zen and a leader in our community interms of educating the community atlarge about the importance of adoptinga plan for renewable energy and con-serving our environment. We hope to

Jetion Solar USA (Con’t. from p. 1) accomplish this through a high level ofinvolvement within our community,with our higher-learning educationsystems such as universities and com-munity colleges.

We also plan to contribute to our localcommunity by creating well-payingmanufacturing jobs at our manufactur-ing facility in Charlotte, N.C.

SPDN: How is Jetion Solar USA help-ing the local community?

JF: Jetion Solar is constantly seekingnew ways to contribute to the preser-vation of our environment, and one ofthe things we are doing is throughinnovation such as our “FULL CYCLEPV” project, which is made up of sixsteps that use automation to preventresource wastage, state-of-the-art qual-ity control to insure maximum powergeneration from our modules, turnkeyconsultation to our customers to insureproper use of our modules, optimumutilization through our ability toremotely monitor the performance ofPV systems and the ability to providemaintenance to our customers for theirsolar projects.

SPDN: Who are the potential users for

Jetion Solar USA’s products?

JF: Our PV modules are designed for avariety of applications, both for com-mercial projects as well as residentialprojects. These highly efficient mod-ules can be used for any application,from large scale PV projects such assolar farms to residential rooftopapplications. The benefits are equallycost-effective from a renewable energygeneration standpoint, and provide anexcellent return on investment.

SPDN: To what do you attribute yourcompany’s success?

JF: Jetion Solar USA prides itself on ourability to innovate and surround our-selves with reliable partners. We are con-stantly inventing ways to improve on ourproducts and help make our products rel-evant to the environment we live in. Withthe help of our partners in the industry,we know we have helped to increase thelevel of awareness for renewable energyand contribute to the stabilization of cli-mate change.

For more information on Jetion SolarUSA, please visit booth 8856 andwww.jetionsolarus.com, email info@jetionsolarus.com or call 704-944-1069.

they can access markets, and the risingnumber of PV products combined with alimited number of accredited testing labshas led to longer certification times.These delays can often lead to cost over-runs, loss of market share, reduced prof-itability and lowered brand ranking.

The good news is that module man-ufacturers can significantly reduce therisk of certification delays by makingsmart choices early in the design of theirproducts. By selecting a testing lab suchas Intertek, that is accredited to certifymodules in North America, Europe andthe major Asian markets, a manufacturercan gain access to more than 40 countriesafter completing just one set of tests.Using one lab can cut certification timedown to as little as one-third of what itwould be when using multiple labs in

different countries.Start Early. Begin certifying a new

PV module before its design is complete.This ultimately will speed up the time tomarket. Manufacturers that wait too longto begin module certification risk delaysand might have to rework some compo-nents after they thought their designswere done. Intertek’s Preliminary DesignReview service is intended to assist man-ufacturers to identify applicable stan-dards and potential design flaws that mayimpede certification. This step in theprocess can help to save considerabletime and money.

Only Use Certified Components.Each component that goes into the finishedmodule must comply with certain stan-dards. Intertek has found that one of themost frequent causes of module non-com-pliance is the use of components that aren’tproperly certified. By working with a lab

Intertek (Con’t. from p. 1) to perform a design review, problems areidentified early and the eventual certifica-tion testing can move more quickly. Forspeed and service, rely on Intertek’s ETLListed Mark to verify that all of your com-ponents are properly certified.

Select the Right Lab. If you’re look-ing to certify modules with innovativetechnology that is unlike any products pre-viously on the market, a lab with PVexpertise is better equipped to develop theright test plan and apply generic require-ments to that new technology. In addition,a lab that is accredited to certify modulesunder both ANSI/UL requirements for theU.S. and Canada, and the CB Scheme forEU and Asia can offer certification for thetwo sets of requirements and significantlyshorten your time to market. Intertekmeets all of these requirements and more.

Develop a Smart Test Plan. Anexperienced test lab will help you stream-

line efforts and create efficiencies to getyour product to customers, faster. Bymaintaining multiple accreditations,Intertek can conduct concurrent testing,often satisfying two global requirementswith one test. Taking advantage of a lab’soverlapping accreditations means fewertests need to be done.

Intertek’s single source solution forthe PV industry provides access to a fullsuite of services, including safety testingand certification for more than 40 markets,performance testing, and reliability testingwith custom testing plan options. Whencombined with Intertek’s technologicalexpertise on the fast advancements in thePV industry, these advantages lead to rapidglobal PV module certification.

For more on what Intertek has tooffer, stop by booth 8655, emailicenter@intertek.com or visitwww.intertek.com/solar.

Solar Power Dai ly NewsThursday, July 14, 201128

flagship product for solar energy calledSolGuard: This system uses monitoringand management technology to increaseyield and efficiency while maximizing per-formance output. SmartDiodes, developedby Watts and More, creates a virtually loss-less transparent system compatible with allmainstream photovoltaic inverters forenergy harvesting. Israeli company Palramhas created many of the necessary ancil-lary materials to construct green buildingsand support solar power since the 1960’s.

Another star in the Israeli solar con-stellation is Eternegy, which invented astate-of-the-art tracking system for pho-

tovoltaic panels designed to meet theneeds of major solar countries―requir-ing significantly less materials for instal-lation and increasing durability, all whileproviding 40 percent more electricitythan fixed panels. On the related note ofefficiency, Heliofocus has developedHelioBooster, a series of large parabolicdishes that enhance power productionwhile requiring the lowest footprint perkilowatt of any comparable system andsignificantly reducing the environmentalimpact of solar power facilities.

Israeli solar technology has histori-cally focused on personal and industrialsystems with significant attention to theenergy-intensive experience of heating

Israeli Pavilion (Con’t. from p. 1) water. The company Elsol, established in1948, manufactures and designs solarthermal water heaters and solar flat platecollectors―an offering valuable forhomes, hospitals, hotels and agriculture.Newcomer Tigi has improved solar waterheating technology through its “ThermalEnvelope” system, which allows its col-lectors to outperform other competi-tors―even in freezing conditions whereother solar thermal systems routinely fail.

Israel has an improvisational busi-ness culture where challenges areaddressed in breakthrough ways. Thischaracter carries through to its solarindustry to companies like bSolar whohave developed, and successfully imple-

mented, the world’s first bifacial PV solarcells that produce up to 30 percent moreelectricity at the same cost and durabilityas conventional cells. Addressing the mas-sive problem of how to create a greenbuilding, Solar Or has created the first highefficiency, transparent solar curtain wall.This system is optimal for vertical installa-tion in large buildings as a low weight,efficient way to power large structures andkeep them cool. As a final bright spot inthe Israeli desert, Sun Power has workedworldwide to increase the efficiency ofland use and improve the local environ-ment for current and future generations.

For more information, visit booth8636 and www.israeltrade.gov.il.

fications qualify SPARQ to sell its prod-ucts to consumer markets.

SPARQ’s efficient and low-costmicroinverter solution produces morealternating current (AC) power fromPV panels for longer periods underlower light and partial shadowing con-ditions. The design eliminates unreli-able components such as electrolyticcapacitors, which increases the lifespanof the microinverters threefold, givinghomeowners at least 25 years of worry-free performance.

The company has successfully com-pleted testing to meet Canadian StandardsAssociation (CSA) and Underwriters

Laboratories Inc. (UL) certification stan-dards. These approvals―UL1741, IEEE1547, CSA C22.2 NO. 107.1 and FCCpart 15, class B―certify that the compa-ny’s products meet recognized nationalstandards for safety and performance inNorth America.

The company is announcing thelaunch of its newly approved products atIntersolar, North America’s largestsolar conference and trade show, inSan Francisco.

“We are thrilled by this milestone.These approvals are the strongest possi-ble endorsement of the quality of ourproduct,” says Dr. Praveen Jain, CEO ofSPARQ. “With these certifications inhand we are now fully equipped to

SPARQ Systems Inc. (Con’t. from p. 1) address the rapidly expanding NorthAmerican markets.”

“It’s extremely gratifying to see ourtechnology receive these certifica-tions,” says Randall North, ChiefOperations Officer of SPARQ.“Tactically, SPARQ is now well posi-tioned for volume manufacturing.”

The company recently partneredwith Sanmina-SCI of San Jose, Calif., aleading manufacturer of electronic andmechanical products, to producemicroinverters and communicationshubs for the consumer market. Thesolar inverters will be produced for theCanadian market at Sanmina-SCI’sOttawa facility, which is certified forOntario’s Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program,

as well as at Sanmina-SCI’s worldwideregional facilities to meet globaldemand.

SPARQ is actively pursuing certifi-cations for sale of its products outsideNorth America.

About SPARQ Systems Inc.SPARQ Systems Inc. is the globalenabler of integrated AC modules.SPARQ microinverters are highly reli-able, lightweight and compact, giving theuser faster return on investment andincreased flexibility. The company isbased in Kingston, Ontario.

For more information, call 613-533-6000 x78238, email mbeaudette@sparqsys.com or stop by booth 7446.

Health and Safety Administration(OSHA) to provide certification forANSI/UL1703, the required NorthAmerican solar safety mark. The accred-itation is the latest in TÜV Rheinland´scomprehensive portfolio of testing andphotovoltaic certifications to help clientspenetrate the global marketplace.

Worldwide, photovoltaic solar mod-ule manufacturers and the suppliers ofrelated components consider the U.S.A. alarge target market, according to industryanalysts. ANSI/UL 1703 certification iscurrently one of the pivotal regulatoryrequirements to launch photovoltaicproducts in the U.S. marketplace.

“We are very pleased by the accred-itation of our North American certifica-tion body from OSHA. The elevation ofstatus as a Nationally Recognized Test

Laboratory (NRTL) for TÜV RheinlandPTL will give TÜV Rheinland Groupanother of the key pieces to service ourclients globally,” said RichardBozicevich, North American BusinessField Manager for Solar Services. “Withthis accreditation we can leverage theexpertise and geographic reach of theTÜV Rheinland network to better serviceclients across the globe.”

Around 80 percent of all solar mod-ule manufacturers have their products test-ed at TÜV Rheinland to obtain nationaland international market licenses.TÜV Rheinland operates test laboratoriesfor solar modules and systems in sixlocations worldwide: Cologne, Germany;Shanghai, China; Taichung, Taiwan;Yokohama, Japan; and Bangalore, Indiaas well as a U.S. facility inTempe, Ariz. at TÜV Rheinland PTL.Nearly 200 experts specializing in solar

TÜV Rheinland (Con’t. from p. 1) technologies work at the existingtest centers.

About TÜV Rheinland PTL, LLCBased in Tempe, Ariz., TÜV RheinlandPTL, LLC is a leading provider ofsafety and performance testing andmarket certification serving every sec-tor of the photovoltaic and solar thermalmarketplace, from the supply chainthrough installation. TÜV RheinlandPTL is a member of the TÜV RheinlandGroup, which has the largest network ofsolar energy laboratories worldwide,with six major laboratories on three con-tinents. The lab was formed as a uniquepartnership between Arizona StateUniversity, an institution with more than50 years of research on solar energy andextensive solar testing know-how, andTÜV Rheinland, a $1.5 billion globalprovider of independent testing, assess-

ment, and certification services.

About TÜV RheinlandFounded in 1871, TÜV RheinlandNorth America is a global leader inindependent inspection services. Thecompany inspects technical equipment,products and services; oversees proj-ects; and helps to shape processes forU.S. companies seeking entry to world-wide markets. With 14,500 employees,TÜV Rheinland maintains a presence inapproximately 500 locations in 61countries. In addition, it encompassesan international network of approvedlabs, testing facilities and educationcenters, and its experts train peopleacross a wide range of industries.

For more information, visitwww.tuvptl.com or call TÜV Rheinlandtoll-free at 1-TUV-RHEINLAND (888-743-4652).

AIR LIQUIDE: PARISIAN GASMANUFACTURER IS A GLOBAL LEADERChris Ryan, Vice President, Sales &Marketing of Air Liquide ElectronicsU.S. LP details why his company is aglobal leader in gases.

SPDN: Tell our readers a little aboutyour company and what makes yourcompany unique?

CR: Air Liquide is the world leader ingases for industry, health and the envi-ronment. Based out of Paris, France, weare present in 80 countries around theworld and have more than 43,600employees. 2010 annual sales revenuewas €13.5 billion.

CR: Air Liquide is unique in the industrybecause of our ability to provide a fullrange of products and services, includingturnkey project management for our cus-tomers. Our integrated offering of gases,chemicals, related application equipmentalong with engineering, construction,onsite operations management servicesand analytical services allow us to fullysupport the needs of our customers.

SPDN: Describe your current customersupport strategy.

CR: Our current strategy is to provideour customers with value-added, fully

integrated process materials and servicesthat allow them to scale up and growtheir business through achieving theirtarget efficiencies, lower their cost perwatt, and increase their yield at all levelsof scaling up in their process lines.

SPDN: What is the nature of your distri-bution and how do you handle sales?

CR: Our distribution is managed by atrained, centralized logistics team man-aging product distribution out of ourstrategically positioned product manu-facturing sites and stocking depots acrossthe country. The distribution fleet runsroutine or rush deliveries between theseproduct sources and our customers. Wehandle sales through our PV Sales teammanaging a dedicated geographicalregion supported by the corporate mar-

keting and business development teams.An experienced product managementteam assists the sales organization withstrategic product sourcing and logisticsfor successful account development.

SPDN: To what do you attribute yourcompany’s success?

CR: We attribute our success to our busi-ness philosophies based on four key pil-lars: (1) A partnership approach wherewe develop close, long-term relation-ships with our partners and customers;(2) Continued efforts to enlarge our offer-ing by finding innovative and customizedsolutions, technologies, equipment andservices that offer value to our cus-tomers; (3) R&D resources dedicated

Continued on Page 33

Solar Power Dai ly News 33Thursday, July 14, 2011

your company. What’s your main line ofbusiness?

KX: TÜV SÜD AG, the largest of theTÜVs, is a leading technical servicescompany with €1.5 billion in sales andmore than 15,000 experts worldwide.TÜV SÜD’s breadth of servicesencompasses consultancy, inspections,testing and expert opinions, as well ascertification and training. TÜV SÜD’sdistinctive blue octagon and the TÜVSÜD brand are synonymous withincreased safety, commercial addedvalue worldwide, and associated withtrust and reliability. Globally, TÜVSÜD is recognized as a quality processpartner across multiple business sec-tors, with presence in more than 30countries—all with German engineer-ing background with local resources.

Headquartered in Peabody, Mass., TÜVSÜD America, a subsidiary of TÜV SÜDAG, has had a presence in the UnitedStates since 1987. In its more than 20 yearsin the United States, operations havegrown from a handful of individuals to acurrent staff of more than 1,000 experts inover two dozen locations throughout theUnited States, Canada and South America.

SPDN: Tell us about your services.

KX: Solar energy, a free and practicallyinexhaustible energy source is one rea-son for the fast-growing demand forphotovoltaic [PV] modules, especiallyin North America and Europe. To reachthese markets and beyond, productsneed to be tested to meet stringent per-formance and safety requirements.

SPDN: What distinguishes your productsfrom the competition?

TÜV SÜD (Con’t. from p. 1) KX: By choosing TÜV SÜD America,one chooses to partner with a globalleader with more than 140 years of expe-rience in the field of safety and quality,certifications and testing.

Together with our partner lab, RenewableEnergy Test Center LLC, the relationshipprovides one-stop global PV testing andcertification. RETC’s highly experiencedPV engineers provide product characteri-zation at cell and module levels, and com-bined with TÜV SÜD’s global presence,reinforce our commitment to bring qualityand one-stop shop testing capabilities inPhotovoltaics for our customers. Ourexperts will work alongside customers toenter global markets in a reliable and time-efficient way. Also, TÜV SÜD’s first-classreputation ensures a high level of accept-ance for client reports and certifications.

SPDN: Compare the position of your

services and their technology against thecurrent market.

Dr. P: TÜV SÜD’s strategy combinedwith its global PV partners is to deliver amyriad of PV test solutions for long-termsmall- and medium-scale energy valida-tion and degradation analysis at multipletest sites. This provides various weatherpatterns/insolation, and soiling rates foroutdoor testing and data collection.

SPDN: Who are your target end-users?

Dr. P: TÜV SÜD provides global experi-ence and local expertise customized forinvestors, manufacturers, operators [con-tractors/installers/importers] and R&Dcompanies through testing and certification.

Visit TÜV SÜD America at booth 8940and www.tuvamerica.com or call 800-TUV-0123.

BT: FlexLink is a global supplier of pro-duction logistics solutions for a broadspectrum of customers with specializedfocus on several industries, solar beingone of them.

We go to market in various ways rangingfrom supplying the raw componentsdirectly to the end user and systembuilders/integrators/OEM’s to completematerial handling system, along with allof the controls hardware and softwarenecessary to truly be a “ProductionLogistics Solution.”

Over the years, we have provided solu-tions specifically suited to the solarindustry in the areas of wafer fabrication,cell processing, module manufacturingand inverter assembly.

SPDN: FlexLink has two different prod-uct offerings to the solar industry: yourtraditional flexible, plastic chain conveyorand your Montrac product line with distri-bution rights in the U.S.A. How do youdecide which product is more suitable foryour customer? What are the differencesbetween the two offerings?

BT: As with any application, factorsinclude product type, size and rate alongwith the preferred transport method. Thetransport method refers to either ‘part onchain’ or ‘part on pallet,’ as well as,whether the product will be carried indi-vidually or in one of the many styles ofmagazines/cassettes/carriers.

With the traditional flexible plastic chain

conveyor, it comes in several differentwidths and can be used in a single strandfor standard applications. It can also beused in a multi-strand arrangement forwider products. The flexible plastic chainalso offers configurations for both ‘parton chain’ and ‘part on pallet’ solutions.The Montrac product line is purely a pal-let (Shuttle)-based system, which is bestsuited for when clean and smooth trans-port is needed for either fixture productor one of the many carriers referred toearlier.

SPDN: How are FlexLink’s conveyorsand production logistic solutions uniqueand what makes your company desirablefor solar panel manufacturers to do busi-ness with you?

BT: The combination of both a broadproduct offering (Mechanical, Controls& Software) and years of experienceenable us to not only “talk the talk” butensure our ability to “walk the walk.”This results in our ability to provide solu-tions which will enhance your process bymaximizing its efficiency and quality ascompared to many of the manual, semi-automated and other fully automatedsolutions available in the industry.

WH: The Montrac system uses individu-ally powered shuttles that are impact freeand fast. Since there are no hard stops inthe system, we are able to transportwafers and cells stacked horizontally andindividually in the carriers—the sameorientation in which they are handled inthe process equipment. Systems withimpact need to lay the carriers on theirsides to keep the cells from breaking in

FlexLink (Con’t. from p. 1) transit. This means the process equip-ment can be simplified in that it does notneed additional material handling tomanipulate the carriers from a vertical tohorizontal orientation. They do not needdifferent carriers for transport, storageand processing. And the Montrac systemdoes not need a separate conveyor sec-tion with its own drive unit at every stopto safely decelerate the product.

SPDN: FlexLink is the first choice forproduction logistics in many industries.Can you demonstrate, specifically, someexamples of how FlexLink is paving theway in the solar industry?

BT: The Solar Business Unit withinFlexLink has been driving a somewhatstandardized modular approach to theconveyors and devices used in typicalcrystalline and thin-film module manu-facturing facilities, from both amechanical and electrical perspective.First, we sectionalize each individualconveyor segment mechanically to han-dle a single product. Then, we gaveeach section a stand-alone controllerusing an existing industry-standardhandshake for isolated controls commu-nication, upstream and downstream.With this, we can quickly implementsystems, which are mostly pre-engi-neered with a reduced risk for both ourcustomer and ourselves. The modularnature of this solution is even more ben-eficial when it comes to adding to, tak-ing away from and/or rearranging thesystem in the future.

SPDN: What products and/or solutionsdo you see as being hottest this year?

BT: With the volumes for U.S.-basedmanufacturers of wafers, cells and invert-ers still leaning towards push carts andWIP areas, our module manufacturingsolutions are running strong, with specificinterest in adding accumulation andbuffering units to balance the flow withina system as volumes are increasing.

WH: As cell manufacturing facilitiesgrow larger, there is an opportunity tobranch away from the traditional in-line process configuration and consoli-date some of the processes to reacheconomies of scale. However, whenthese customers get away from the in-line process, the material flow becomesan issue. Since managing material flowis exactly where FlexLink excels, webelieve this will be a hot solution mov-ing forward.

SPDN: Please assess the marketplace asit relates to your product line.

BT: The market in general is still verydynamic and a bit volatile as much ofthe U.S. solar industry is driven byevolving utility incentives and hard-to-find venture capital. However, all indi-cators predict continued growth for thebalance of the year and beyond. Sinceour solutions are rooted in the improve-ment of overall system efficiency andquality, which results in increasedprocess yield, we have positioned our-selves to be a key player as the solarindustry moves forward.

For more information, please call 877-266-2249, email info.us@flexlink.com orvisit FlexLink at booth 9311.

operational issues, thus increasing over-all system availability and ongoing yield.

The Cloud allows beneficiaries ofinvestor dollars access to early failuredetection and quick troubleshooting. PVsystem investors and owners demandreliable system management, with opti-mized yield assurance as the most impor-tant goal to support their investment andincrease ROI.

As another example, meteocontrol’sVirtual Control Room (VCOM) portal

helps minimize the operational costs ofPV systems, allowing the operator toselect key performance indicators, anddirectly compare individual componentsand long-term trends across a large fleet.Customized reports on yield trends canbe sent to investors via email directlyfrom the Cloud.

Can the Cloud Scale for SolarCapacity?The Cloud’s storage capacity is nearlylimitless with endless potential to scalefor market demand.

meteocontrol (Con’t. from p. 17) While Cloud Computing is still in itsinfancy across the solar industry, thisCloud definitely has a silver lining forboth solar providers and investors. Formore information about solar virtualiza-tion, visit www.meteocontrol.com.

Come by and learn more aboutmeteocontrol, including how to savemoney, increase solar bankability andoptimize solar efficiency at booth 7150during Intersolar North America. Formore information, visit www.meteocontrol.com.

towards improving efficiency and lower-ing manufacturing costs; (4) A Global PVTeam Approach that draws on the knowl-edge of the Air Liquide Group across theworld, allowing us to support our cus-tomers’ local needs through a global andlocal presence.

For more information, please emailInfo.Electronics-US@airliquide.com,visit www.airliquide.com or stop bybooth 9347.

Air Liquide (Con’t. from p. 28)

Solar Power Dai ly NewsThursday, July 14, 201136

SPDN: Tell our readers a little aboutyour company. What’s your main lineof business?

JD: Henkel Corporation is the globalleader in adhesives, sealants and surfacetreatment chemistries for the industrialmarketplace. With a history of more than130 years of innovation, we continue tobring exciting new technologies to mar-ket, based on the demands of industry.We serve the solar market across theentire manufacturing chain from waferproduction to final installation.

SPDN: Are you introducing anynew products?

JD: At our Intersolar North Americabooth 5329, we are showcasing Henkel’sUL certified assembly products used inmodule framing and sealing, junctionbox bonding, and ingot bonding. We willexhibit some of the latest technologiesavailable across the spectrum of epoxies,silicones, MS polymers and butyls.Featured products include Loctite® 3382,Loctite® 5611, Terostat® MS 500 andTerostat® 2782. Our products fixture and

cure extremely rapidly to allow automat-ed manufacturing processes to continuewithout downtime or parts racking.

SPDN: Where is your current productemphasis?

JD: At Henkel, we let our customers tellus about the challenges of their applica-tions, and we find the most appropriatesolutions from our diverse range of adhe-sive and sealant technologies. This iswhy we have created a portfolio of prod-ucts that provide reliable bonds and sealsfor solar devices. For products that areintended to last, experts rely on Henkel toprotect their devices from the harshnessof elements for the life of their product.

SPDN:What distinguishes your productsfrom the competition?

JD: Henkel offers an extremely broadrange of adhesive and sealants—we arenot tied to a single technology. Thisallows our technical experts to address acustomer’s application challenges using aportfolio of technologies from which toselect the best solution for their applica-tion. Henkel engineers and chemistswork directly with our customers,

Henkel (Con’t. from p. 1) looking at materials, processes and test-ing to find the right solution. Our will-ingness to understand customers’ assem-bly processes and techniques has beenintegral to our success in bringing new,innovative products to market.

SPDN: Who are your target end-users?

JD: In the Solar market, our end usersare typically product engineers responsi-ble for the reliability and production ofthe module at the OEM level, or theinstaller who integrates the module intoan array. By understanding the processand performance requirements the devicewill endure, our scientists work withdesigners and end-users to implementadhesive and sealant solutions that out-perform the standards and requirementsof NREL, UL and IEC.Whether an appli-cation is at the corporate design centertest lab, on the shop floor or in the field,Henkel is committed to listening, under-standing and providing both technicalconsultation and solution options for anysolar application.

SPDN: Tell our readers about yourtrade show objectives, plans, products,promotions, etc.

MH: Well, I am both the president ofChristopher Associates, Inc., engineeringand distribution firm serving the electron-ics and photovoltaic industries, as well aspresident of SEMA, the Solar Engineering& Manufacturing Association.

Christopher Associates has been one ofthe leading North American suppliers ofmaterials and equipment for high tech-nology manufacturing for more than 30years. We find the best technology glob-ally and then tailor solutions for ourcustomer base of more than 1,000 manu-facturers. We have an extensive engineer-ing and technical support team as well asglobal logistics support.

SPDN: What would you say makes yourcompany unique?

MH: We help our partners stay ahead ofthe technology and manufacturing curvesand to remain competitive. By findingglobal solutions, we can provide the besttechnology at very competitive prices whilemaintaining a very high level of support.

SPDN: What was your program lastyear?

MH: In the past year, we have seen theNorth American solar industry finallybegin to take off, and with it, a significantincrease in our customer base as well assales. We have added engineering and sup-port staff, and have been able to develop anumber of exciting new solutions in mate-rials and processes for our customers.

SPDN: Tell us about SEMA.

MH: Last year at the Intersolar show, weheld a meeting of engineers, managers andother stakeholders in the manufacturingand quality processes to form the SolarEngineering & ManufacturingAssociation. The solar industry has grown

rapidly, and there are several associationsthat address certain niches, but none ofthem really address many of the manufac-turing and engineering issues: best prac-tices, quality standards, new technology orprofessional education, as examples.

Since then, we have held a number ofmeetings featuring industry experts. Wehave a very active technical committeerun by Jasbir Bath, and we recently heldour first standards and engineering tech-nology training sessions, which werevery successful.

SPDN: It sounds as if you’re makingquite a bit of progress.

MH: Yes. Believe it or not, the statisticaldata base on long-term reliability islimited, and, as they are finding inGermany, there are a number of issuesrelated to modules and systems that havebeen inadequately addressed. We feel thatSEMA can make a real contribution to thelong-term success of the solar industry.

SPDN: So what is your next step?

MH: Well, we are having a meeting onThursday morning, July 14 at 8:30 AM atthe Palomar Hotel in San Francisco dur-ing Intersolar. We have one of the toptechnical and industry forecasters, JonCuster-Topai, speaking. It’s free, and wewould love to have everyone there. Wewill also be discussing our long-term reli-ability project as well as other issues weare working on.

SPDN: Back to your business. How doyou see the industry this year?

MH:NorthAmerica seems to be the brightspot right now. We are seeing Chinesemodule manufacturers bleeding and cuttingprices, but a number of North Americanmanufacturing facilities are coming onlinerapidly and are geared for a higher level ofservice and support to their customers. This

Christopher Associates (Con’t. from p. 1) may be the key to their success.

In addition, with rising costs in Chinaand the savings on shipping, the NorthAmerican industry will be able to com-pete more closely.

SPDN: And your own business?

MH: It has been growing rapidly. We rep-resent several of the largest Asian materi-als and equipment manufacturers, whohave quietly become some of the largestsuppliers in the industry. These includeTonsan sealants, Jolywood backsheet,GSMC pastes and Sunlight ribbon. On theequipment side, we represent Orient lami-nators among several other suppliers.

SPDN: What is your outlook for some ofthese products?

MH: Tonsan are one of the largest suppli-ers of sealants and potting compounds inthe industry, and we have been doing verywell with a number of the leading modulemanufacturers. Orient has probably thelargest installed base of laminators in theindustry, and we have had good success inNorth America already, while GSMC areone of the largest paste manufacturers, aswell. Our business has been growing withthe industry, and we expect this growth toaccelerate significantly this year.

SPDN: Describe your current marketingstrategy.

MH: As an engineering services andmaterials supplier to several industries,we have a very strong technical team onboth materials and equipment. Webelieve in working with engineering andmanagement to provide not just products,but solutions. By working closely to helpengineer processes and applications, wedeliver greater value.

SPDN: What are some of the challengesyou face?

MH: The cost pressure on the industryis significant. Our challenge is to deliverthe best cost solution while deliveringthe best technology to our customers.One of the issues facing the industry, aswe move forward, is extending the life-times of solar modules and reduce fieldfailures. We have been working closelywith several materials suppliers to testtheir products to exceed 25-year productlifetimes. With the tremendous impactof environmental conditions, as well asoperational parameters, this is a signifi-cant undertaking as well as being timeconsuming. However, by doing so,we can also develop the next generationof products.

SPDN: Are you introducing any newproducts at the show?

MH: Yes. We have a new fast-curesealant that has been recently approvedby several major module manufacturers,and we will also be introducing new met-allization pastes from GSMC, as well asseveral new backsheet solutions fromJolywood. On the equipment side, wewill be introducing an exciting new mul-tiple-opening press from Orient that alsofeatures advanced cooling to improvethroughput significantly.

SPDN: It sounds exciting.

MH: It is. There are a lot of ways we canhelp our customers improve yields andthroughput at lower costs, and it is excit-ing to see the industry growing in thismanner. Most of our managers are engi-neers, so we really enjoy watching ourcustomers improve a process or reducecosts because we were able to help insome way.

For more information, please visitChristopher Associates at booth 5706,email Matthew Holzmann atmatt@christopherweb.com or call 714-979-7500.

JD: At this years’ show we will be show-casing our Loctite® and Teroson® solarUL-certified adhesives and sealants usedthroughout the assembly and installationprocess. In addition to our products, wewill have application and product spe-cialists available to discuss or answerquestions concerning the industry. Stopby the Henkel booth 5329 to discuss acurrent application and enter to win anApple iPad, which we will give away atthe conclusion of the show.

SPDN: To what do you attribute yourcompany’s success?

JD: Henkel’s heritage and success isfounded on innovation. Since 1876, wehave relied on the excellence of our peo-ple to be passionate and to create, inno-vate and implement new solutions thatmake our customers successful. Oursuccess is rooted in our people. Our corevalues demand that we keep the satis-faction of our customers at the center ofeverything we do. At Henkel, excellenceis our passion.

For more information, please visitHenkel Corporation at booth 5329 andwww.henkelna.com/solar.

suitable for throughhole and fine gridlines. The companyhas metallizationpastes for deep emit-ters that are compat-ible with SelectiveEmitter (SE) tech-nologies, and mate-rials for front andback surface fieldsof N-type cells.

Next GenerationAluminum TechnologyIn addition to the product pictured, Ferrohas developed pastes for fire-throughdielectric passivation layers, includingaluminum oxide, silicon oxide and sili-con nitride. Other next-gen Al productsthat have been developed include fullcoverage aluminum reflectors, low tem-perature silver for interconnects that aresolderable on fired aluminum, and water-

efficiencies, reduce manufacturingcosts and improve the environment.

Ferro’s research is pursuing bothevolutionary and transformational path-ways in crystalline silicon PV technologyand beyond. The company’s expertise inparticle synthesis, polymers, glass anddispersion technologies enable it to helppropel the industry forward. “We have anumber of new products nearing com-mercialization that will help cell manu-facturers reduce cost per watt,” says ToddWilliams, business manager for FerroElectronic Materials. “These includereduced-deposit silver pastes for bothfront and rear contacts as well asreduced-deposit backside aluminumpastes that offer significant cost savingswithout sacrificing performance.”

One of Ferro’s new products is analuminum paste that was developed fornext generation back surface passivated

cells with point con-tacts (right). It doesnot fire through passi-vation layers, andforms excellent BSFin open areas (pointcontacts). Two rearsilver pastes withreduced silver contentand laydown tailoredfor different targetfired thicknesses alsoare being readied for launch. All of thesepastes are lead- and cadmium-free.

Advanced Cell ArchitecturesFerro has developed a front silver plughole paste for Metal Wrap Through(MWT) cell designs and a rear silverpaste for N-type MWT configurations.For Emitter Wrap Through (EWT) archi-tectures, Ferro has developed a rear silverpaste with heavy p doping for low con-tact resistance and a front silver paste

Ferro (Con’t. from p. 1)

construction company engaged in thebusiness of highly specialized and engi-neered high-tensile, light gauge steelstructures. We design, engineer, supplyand install solar support structures aspart of a solar ground-mount, carportand RV/Boat Storage solution; and con-tinue to build carports, RV/Boat andSelf-Storage facilities.

SPDN:Why is Baja winning most of thesolar structure business?

BH: We are a nationwide company, oper-ating under 43 years of experience build-ing light gauge, high-tensile steel struc-tures. In 1981, we were building carportsand then expanded our business to includethe RV and Boat Storage, and Self-Storagemarkets. As the solar business grew, wealso emerged as the leader in solar supportsystems up to 17’ clear height.

SPDN: What are most significant winsfor your company in the last year?

BH: Well, I would have to say that

every job we do is significant and wetreat all jobs with the same intensity.That being said, Baja was awarded thesolar structure business for LIPA’s19MW solar carport project; and thesolar structure business for GeneralMotor’s electric vehicle solar car-port/EV charging solution.

SPDN: Any new and improved prod-ucts?

BH: Not only are we improving our orig-inal designs to incorporate grounding,wire management, direct attachment(racking elimination) and accessoryoptions (e.g. security cameras, facia,etc.); we also focusing on DSA struc-tures. We have completed several solarcarport school installations in California,Nevada and New Jersey. We also haveDSA-approved three Baja designs andsix options.

SPDN: What distinguishes Baja from itscompetition?

BH: Our in-house engineering depart-ment is able to customize a site-

Baja (Con’t. from p. 1)

specific structure; our material is lightgauge, high-tensile steel—half theweight of structural steel with sameamount of strength; and our experienceboth technically and geographically.There is no other company out therewith the depth of experience interms of labor and geography—most ofour employees have been in the busi-ness of steel design, engineering andinstallation for a minimum of 15 yearsin more than 23 states. Another impor-tant fact, we are contracted in the threewestern states with InternationalIronworker’s Union.

SPDN: What is your outlook for yoursolar support structures?

BH:We see a great demand for solar car-ports, as there is not much difference inprice between a solar roof-mountedsolution and a solar carport solution.The secondary benefit of shaded parkingin conjunction with the generation ofsolar power is a winning combination.Shaded parking is not just a conveniencefor car owners; we are continuing tobuilding PV shaded solutions for theessential operations of cattle and dairyfarms, RV and boat storage, transporta-tion centers and water districts.

SPDN: To what do you attribute yourcompany’s success?

BH: I am amazed to find that the solarindustry is filled with “construction-lite”companies trying to execute on a con-struction site. Baja brings more than 40years of construction experience and reli-ability to each job.

For more information, call Bob at 925-766-2612, bob@bajacarports.com, visitwww.bajacarports.com or stop bybooth 7051.

Solar Power Dai ly News 41Thursday, July 14, 2011

ability, high adhesion and high electricalperformance. The increase in adhesion alsodemonstrates a better quality solder joint.The affect of humidity and/or contaminantson the integrity of the solder joint is mini-mized giving reliable thermal cycling andimproved lifetime testing results. Increasedpaste coverage with improved results canprovide savings via improved performance.Coverage with the SOL200 Series is signif-icantly better than competitive materials.Increased paste coverage translates into

lower paste consumption. The SOL200Series of silver paste uses less silver thanpreviously available back-side pastes,which translates to lower cost.

Demonstrated Performance and CostSavings:Heraeus’ SOL 215H increase in adhe-sion has demonstrated a better qualitysolder joint. Adhesion tests using a GP-Stab tester with Sn62Pb36Ag2 solder at270°C and Kester 961-E flux was usedto measure the peak adhesion strengthbetween solder ribbon (Cu 2.0 mm x

Heraeus (Con’t. from p. 4) 150 µm) and back contact metallization(1.5 – 2 cm section). Initial force meas-urements using a 6.0 µm fired filmthickness demonstrated an average forceof 6.0 N using the reference back-sidepaste and 6.6 N using SOL 215H.

Heraeus’ SOL 215H increased pastecoverage with superior results provides ahigh quality, cost-effective solution to anysolar cell manufacturer. With rising costs ofprecious metals, SOL 215H provides sav-ings with improved performance. Coveragewith SOL 215H requires 160 – 240 cm2/g,which is significantly better than competi-

hardware, creating no roof penetra-tions and no additional wind load—helping to maintain the integrity andaesthetics of a building structure.

“Traditional glass solar modulesand amorphous silicon laminates,which are limited by low efficiency,have been the only options availableuntil now,” said Jean-Noel Poirier,

Senior Vice President of Marketingand Business Development for GlobalSolar Energy. “Global Solar flexiblemodules are lightweight and achievecost-effective, high-performance solarpower. This makes them extremelyattractive to integrators and roofingcompanies from both functional andaesthetic value viewpoints.”

The 12.6-percent aperture efficiencyof the PowerFLEX BIPV makes it the

Global Solar Energy (Con’t. from p. 4) most efficient flexible solar module inthe world. Its large format (5.75m x0.5m) and high power density (300W)enables it to outperform other solar roof-ing solutions currently on the market,with twice the power per module than thecurrent amorphous silicon standard, andlower installation and balance of system(BOS) costs.

“Whether you are a PV integratorlooking to put PV where weight is a

constraint, an architect looking to rollrenewable energy into your designs, ora roofing manufacturer looking to dif-ferentiate its product offering, theGlobal Solar PowerFLEX BIPV offersa unique and affordable approach tocreating buildings that bring sustain-ability to a new level,” said Poirier.

Global Solar Energy will be show-casing its PowerFLEX™ BIPV atIntersolar booth 5635.

and plating-resistant compositions.

Back Surface Cell ConfigurationsIn addition to the low-deposit silverdescribed above, Ferro’s new productsinclude p-contacts with ideal diode qual-ity, diffusion barriers, and screening/jet-ting P and B diffusion materials.

Thin Film and Module ApplicationsFerro also has developed solderable poly-mer silver compositions with low contactresistance to TCOs, lead- and cadmium-free low temperature sealing glass com-postions, and anti-reflective coatings forflat glass that enhance light trapping.

Ferro frequently collaborates withleading solar cell manufacturers, equip-ment suppliers, and research institutesto develop advanced materials. Formore information, call 760-305-1000,email solarsolutions@ferro.com, visitwww.ferro.com or stop by North Hall,booth 5529.

tive materials. Increased paste coveragetranslates into lower paste consumption.

The new SOL200 Series is availablein SOL220, SOL215H and SOL210.These pastes have been optimized forvarying cell designs and processing. OurTechnical Service team can identify theideal product for a customer’s manufac-turing process.

For more details regard the HeraeusSOL200 Series and our other industry-leading metallization pastes, please speakwith us at booth 9357 or www.pvsilverpaste.com for more contact information.