Global collaboration to produce innovative photovoltaic panels

The agreement made by Sharp, STMicroelectronics and Italian power specialist Enel Green Power will result in a photovoltaic factory, with each partner subscribing up to €70million, along with funds from equity, state grants and project financing. The factory, based in Catania, Italy, will be used to serve solar markets in the EMEA region with a particular focus on the Mediterranean area. Enel and Sharp have signed an additional agreement aimed at the creation of an equal joint venture to develop solar farms. The goal is to install cumulative capacity at a level of 500MW by the end of 2016, making use of the photovoltaic panels manufactured at the Catania factory. Triple junction thin film photovoltaic panels are suitable for medium and large scale photovoltaic power generation and, compared to ordinary silicon solar panels, the modules are able to maintain a high level of energy conversion efficiency even in very hot climates. Due to the lower silicon content, these modules are also less exposed to raw silicon price volatility. PV panel manufacturing at the Catania plant is due to start at the beginning of 2011.