A Guide to PV Manufacturing Events at Intersolar North America 2012

A Guide to PV Manufacturing Events at Intersolar North America 2012

By Bettina Weiss, Vice President, Photovoltaics, SEMI

In less than 2 weeks, San Francisco will be teeming with solar professionals from every step of the supply chain.  Packed into 4 days, Intersolar North America will include various forums, workshops, keynotes and presentations.  Since our membership and readership is most interested in upstream activities I wanted to present our “must attend’ PV manufacturing events during Intersolar North America.  We are pleased to note that many of these events feature SEMI partners such as Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (CNSE /Sematech), Solartech, Bay Area PV Consortium and the International PV Module Quality Assurance Task Force (NREL, AIST, UL, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems).

PV Keynotes

Kicking off the first day of the exhibition on Tuesday, July 10 at 1:00pm Applied Materials’ Mark Pinto will present “Advancing Today's PV Market Through c-Si Manufacturing Innovation".  And on Wednesday, July 11 at 1:00pm First Solar’s James G. Brown will present "Solar Power's Transition from Subsidy Dependence to Mainstream Energy Solution".  (Location: Keynote Stage, Esplanade Hall)

 

Roadmapping Activities

U.S. CIGS PV Roadmap Forum – This forum shares the vision and expectations for producing the first national U.S. CIGS PV Roadmap and is led by leaders and technologists from the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium (PVMC) and hosted by SEMI PV Group. PVMC is an industry-led national collaboration headquartered at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany in New York.  (Location: San Francisco Marriott Marquis)

ITRPV – Pick up a copy of the Third Edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Photovoltaics at the SEMI PV Group booth #5689 located in Moscone North Hall across from the PV Production and Technology stage.

 

PV Manufacturing Standards

Roadmapping and standards development go hand in hand.  Attend these session and make sure your company has a voice in the crucial development of pre-competitive PV manufacturing standards - join leaders such as First Solar, Hemlock Semiconductor, Meyer Burger, REC, Roth & Rau, Schott Solar, Suntech, Trina Solar, Ulvac and Wacker Chemie. Currently, there are 33 SEMI PV manufacturing standards, and dozens more are in the works.  This year the SEMI PV Standards meetings are closer to the action on the show floor in Moscone North, and are located in the Lower Lobby, Room 123.

International Standards on PV Module Quality & Reliability, join this session to hear PV module QA experts from the International Photovoltaic (PV) Module Quality Assurance (QA) Task Force as they share their activities to date towards developing standards. Speakers include: John Wohlgemuth, NREL, Masaaki Yamamichi, AIST, Chris Flueckiger, UL, Dr. Michael Koehl, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.  (Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at 1:00pm–2:30pm, PV Production and Technology Hall Stage, Moscone North.)

 

Technology-Focused Sessions

PV Research and Development
Later in the week, following the Signing Ceremony of MOU for the Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes between NREL, AIST, DOE, and Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE on Tuesday, July 10 during the Intersolar North American Official Opening, technologists might also be interested in attending two sessions on the PV Production and Technology Hall Stage at Moscone North which are free to attendees.

  • PV R&D Research Consortia – Global Insights and Activities session will showcase current and future activities along with details on how companies/industry can collaborate.  Distinguished speakers include: Brent Nelson, NREL, Ross M. Goodman, CSNE, Jef Poortmans, IMEC, Larry Kazmerski, NREL, Masashi Nagura, NEDO, and Olivia Coldrey, Australian Solar Institute. Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 10:30am-12:30pm
  • Advanced Photovoltaics – Ultra High Efficiency Technologies
    Moderated by John Benner, Executive Director, Bay Area PV Consortium this session includes: Dr. Nasreen Chopra, Alta Devices, T.S. Ravi, Crystal Solar Inc., Dr. Rajesh Rao, Astrowatt, Dr. Vigit Sabnis, Solar Junction, and Scott Burroughs, Semprius. Thursday, July 12, 2012, 1:30pm – 3:30pm

 

Fabs and Manufacturing

On Monday, July 9, the SEMI North American PV Fab Managers Forum at the Intercontinental Hotel brings the heavyweights to the table to examine PV fabs in relation to policy and markets as well as from a technological perspective on competitiveness, supply chain, bankability, financing, and insurance.  Be there to be a part of the discussion.

On Tuesday, July 10, at 10:30am don’t miss the session PV Manufacturing in the U.S. – A Vision for the Future which is based on the recent SEMI White Paper, Manufacturing Solar Photovoltaic Products in the U.S.  this session is chaired and moderated by Ned Harvey, Rocky Mountain Institute and includes Jeannine Sargent, Flextronics, Eric Peeters, Dow Corning, Andrew Beebe, Suntech Power, and Chase Weir, Distributed Sun. (Location:  PV Production and Technology Hall Stage, Moscone North)

 

PV Materials

In two locations, PV materials will be the focus of attention.  On Tuesday, July 10th at the Intercontinental Hotel, the session Reliability Across the Value Chain: Materials Matter examines the critical role of materials in reducing project risk, reducing LCOE and improving financial returns of PV systems.  On Wednesday, at the PV Production and Technology Stage in Moscone North, the New Materials in PV Manufacturing – Dye Sensitized, Full Organic, Hybrid session will examine these technologies often referred to as ‘third generation’ thin film, and may offer the potential to be produced from low-cost materials using simple manufacturing processes (coating / printing).

 

EHS & Sustainability

Environmental sustainability in the PV industry is a “win-win” proposition. The PV industry strives to live up to its commitment of responsibly producing clean solar energy, EHS and sustainability risks need to be better understood and managed.  These programs enable EHS and Sustainability professionals to network and share best practices for the industry.

And finally, if you get a chance to stop by SEMI PV Group’s booth #5689 in Moscone North, we’re located right across from the new PV Production and Technology Stage.  Come by and say hello and stay to watch the free presentations on the Stage.

Here’s to a productive and fruitful week at Intersolar North America!

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