DuPont Solamet PV Metallizations Enable Canadian Solar’s High-Efficiency Metal Wrap Through Solar Cells

DuPont Solamet photovoltaic metallization pastes from DuPont Microcircuit Materials continue to advance critical solar cell technologies to enable more cost-effective, high-efficiency solar cell and module designs. The latest collaboration with Canadian Solar Inc., one of the world’s largest solar module producers, has resulted in Canadian Solar’s ELPS cells with 19.5 percent conversion efficiency for monocrystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells using Metal Wrap Through (MWT) technology.

This achievement represents a significant step forward as DuPont accelerates progress along the industry roadmap to achieve conversion efficiency of c-Si solar cells beyond 20 percent in 2012, through innovative material and process technology improvements, and key collaborations.

“DuPont Solamet metallization paste for MWT technology has good resistance, durability, and is compatible with Canadian Solar’s cell manufacturing process. When compared with N-type cell structures, the manufacturing process for ELPS technology is easy to ramp-up and is cost-effective.” said Zhang Lingjun, technical vice president – Canadian Solar. “The ELPS cells and modules will first be showcased from June 8 to 10 at the Canadian Solar booth (Hall A1.280) during 2011 Intersolar in Munich, Germany.”

“DuPont has accelerated the development of higher efficiency Solamet metallization paste technology in part through key collaborations, and the results have been exceptional,” said Peter Brenner, global marketing manager, photovoltaics – DuPont Microcircuit Materials. “To advance MWT efficiency, we initiated programs with photovoltaic industry leaders such as Green Energy & Environmental Research Laboratories and Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan (ITRI) – boosting module efficiency up to 1.6 percent, and we continue to improve formulations to benefit our customers. We’re quite honored that Solamet has enabled Canadian Solar to achieve this level of efficiency with its ELPS solar cell technology.”

Several new Solamet brand photovoltaic metallization products have been introduced this year to increase solar efficiency and to reduce overall system cost. New product introductions in 2011 have included Solamet PV17A high-efficiency frontside silver, Solamet PV361 and PV362 for local back surface field designs and Solamet PV701 for MWT solar cell technology. DuPont Microcircuit Materials also is accelerating the development of breakthrough Solamet technologies designed to reduce the industry’s dependence on silver metals.