Dubai: Masdar, the wholly-owned initiative by the government of Abu Dhabi through Mubadala Development Company, on Wednesday said Masdar PV will embark on a multi-billion dollar investment in thin-film photovoltaic solar technology, as part of its drive to become a world leader in alternative energy.
"The total investment of approximately Dh7.3 billion [$2 billion] represents one of the largest investments ever made in solar, and will fund a three-phased manufacturing and expansion strategy to produce the latest generation of thin-film photovoltaic [PV] modules," Masdar said in a statement.
Out of the total planned investment, phase one of the project involves an investment of $600 million, which will fund the development of two manufacturing facilities - the first, in Erfurt, Germany will be operational by the third quarter of 2009, and a second facility in Abu Dhabi which will begin initial production by the second quarter of 2010.
The combined annual production capacity of these two sites will be 210 megawatts, which is committed to major PV system installers in Europe and for Masdar's own energy generation needs.
"This approach represents a significant step in Masdar's objective to transform Abu Dhabi into a developer and exporter of technology, rather than an importer. With a goal of reaching one gigawatt of annual production by 2014 through capacity expansions and other new plants, this multi-country operation will allow Masdar PV to become a global leader in thin-film PV," it said.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), said, "Thin-film PV is a key part of our build-deploy-develop strategy to actively build a strong position in alternative energy."
The investment in photovoltaic solar energy will compliment Abu Dhabi's existing energy market.
"This marks a major milestone for Masdar and Abu Dhabi. It will not only establish Masdar as a major global PV player, but will be the first high-tech semiconductor nano-manufacturing facility of its kind in the entire region, positioning Abu Dhabi as a developer and producer of clean technology," he said.
Equipment
The plants will use the latest generation of equipment capable of high-volume processing of ultra-large glass substrates, which, at 5.7 square metres, are eight times larger and five times more powerful than that of the current market leader.
High-volume manufacturing of thin film PV, which, requires less than one per cent of expensive semiconductor material compared to traditional PV, is key to rapidly driving down the cost of PV.
The technology for grid-parity solar power exists in most sunny markets today. It's a matter of achieving the right scale to achieve lower costs. Masdar PV will combine scale plus a proven PV technology, advanced manufacturing capability, and advanced R&D to deliver lower costs
The move has received praise from the industry.
"This potentially represents a paradigm shift in solar, a real game-changer," commented Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, President of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, the largest organisation representing the PV industry.
