Heraeus Photovoltaics and Ulbrich team on production of advanced ribbon technology
Ulbrich Solar Technologies and Heraeus Photovoltaics have launched an advanced interconnect product called Selectively Coated Ribbon (SCR™). This “plug and play” ribbon can be integrated into existing stringing equipment, and result in additional power gain for module manufactures.
Ulbrich Solar Technologies, global leader in the production of PV ribbon products for traditional solder, hybrid solder and conductive adhesive technologies, and Heraeus Photovoltaics, a leading technology solution provider for the renewable energy industry, have announced a joint manufacturing and sales partnership. Under this agreement, Ulbrich will manufacture and the bring to market the new Heraeus line of patented advanced Selectively Coated Ribbons (SCR™) to the PV module manufacturing market. This innovative product uses coated ribbons to deliver increased power gain, while allowing module manufactures to utilize their existing equipment.
PV Ribbons play an integral part of the module manufacturing process, as they are the mechanism that connects and transmits current between crystalline silicon solar cells, and eventually out of the module. The Heraeus Selectively Coated Ribbon (SCR™) represents a breakthrough with its unique design. While traditional PV ribbons typically have a solder coating on them, the Heraeus SCR™ is a tabbing ribbon designed with stripes of highly-reflective white coating running across its edges, with the solder coating in the middle. As a result, the new design delivers significant improvements in performance, including:
- A power gain of up to 2.2 watts on module level;
- No capital investment required: the Heraeus SCR™ is designed as a “plug and play” solution that easily integrates into the existing manufacturing process without additional equipment;
- All relevant soldering technologies tested and compatibility with different stringers proven;
- Reliability tests have been successfully completed: TCT400 passed and 240 kWh/m² UV-DH passed;
- Versatility to works on conventional module designs as well as modules made with half-cut cells and bifacial modules.
Peter Berghofer, the General Manager of Ulbrich of Austria GmbH, said, “The requirements for new products in the module manufacturing process are very demanding. New products need to be cost competitive, innovative and reliable. The new SCR fulfils those expectations by increasing the power of every single module without any investment or additional effort for the module manufacturers. We expect this product to be a real game changer in module manufacturing.” Dr. Weiming Zhang, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Heraeus Photovoltaics, added, “Solutions like our Selectively Coated Ribbons are another example of why we invest so heavily into IP. This partnership with Ulbrich will help us bring this innovation to market quickly so the industry can continue to make solar the most efficient and important renewable energy source.”
Heraeus announced that Ulbrich will initially sell its Selectively Coated Ribbons in Europe, Russia, Turkey, the Middle East, Mexico and the United States. Sampling to key customers will begin starting in September 2018, with several hundred megawatts of module manufacturing projected to be supported by 2019.
