Linde Nippon Sanso (LNS), a company of The Linde Group, and Bosch Solar Energy have announced an extension of their collaboration at Bosch's new crystalline silicon solar cell manufacturing site in Arnstadt, Germany. Under the new agreement, LNS will supply silane and ammonia gas, which are used in the fabrication of Bosch's PV cells.
Bosch currently operates three manufacturing facilities in the Erfurt/Arnstadt area that use both crystalline and thin-film silicon technologies. When fully ramped, the crystalline facilities alone will have an overall capacity of 630 MW, the companies state.
Taking into account Bosch Solar Energy's current and Masdar's new thin-film plant, the overall capacity of the Erfurt ‘solar cluster’ currently stands at more than 300 MW and is projected to reach at least 700 MW by 2012, rivaling the well-established Thalheim ‘solar valley,’ the companies add.
SOURCES: Bosch Solar Energy, The Linde Group
