Applied Materials just announced that the  Tandem junction SunFab Thin Film production line installed in Sunfilm’s Grossroehrsdorf factory has been certified and has achieved factory acceptance. The production line, the first of its type in the world, passed certification tests to produce solar modules at up to 8% efficiency. This milestone is important because tandem junction thin-film panels use 1/50th the amount of silicon per watt of electricity than traditional panels do. Using this technology can help bring down the cost per watt of solar power, an important step toward wider use and acceptance.

In a company press release, executives from both organizations explained the importance of the event:

"We are pleased to have demonstrated that tandem junction technology is scalable to large-size panels and that these higher efficiency panels can be produced at volumes that make them ideal for utility scale solar installations," said Mike Splinter, chairman and CEO of Applied Materials. "The ramp of SunFab tandem junction lines is an important business and technological achievement that brings the industry another step closer to dramatically changing the way the world generates energy."

"This is a major milestone in the ramp-up of our factory," said Wolfgang Heinze, Sunfilm’s COO and Chairman of the Executive Board. "The engineering teams from Sunfilm and Applied Materials have worked together intensively to get our performance to this impressive level. We are proud to have the first tandem junction production line in the world where this certification has been reached."

"This is an outstanding accomplishment for both Sunfilm and Applied. It demonstrates technical excellence and our ability to collaborate and execute to enable our customer’s success," said Dr. Randhir Thakur, senior vice president, general manager SunFab Thin Film Solar and Display Business Group. "Rapidly driving leading edge technology into manufacturing is a core capability of Applied and this milestone is another demonstration of our ability to quickly move tandem junction technology from the lab to commercial production."