Global PV Standards Roadmap Accelerates Cost-Effective PV Manufacturing
Through its PV Group initiative, SEMI is ready to bring the same benefits of standardization to PV manufacturing. Over the long term, standardization promises to accelerate technology development, cost reduction and industry growth similar to that realized in the semiconductor industry.
Bettina Weiss, Senior Director, Photovoltaic Segment, SEMI PV Group, San Jose -- PV Society, 6/12/2009
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| Bettina Weiss, SEMI |
The SEMI International Standards Program has saved the semiconductor manufacturing industry millions of dollars. It has also enabled technology advancement and widespread adoption never before seen in any industry. It is succeeding in the display and MEMS manufacturing segments, and it can succeed in photovoltaics manufacturing. Through its PV Group initiative, SEMI is ready to bring the same benefits of standardization to PV manufacturing.
Rapid technology development, highly diverse markets around the globe, and emerging niche applications provide the necessary sense of urgency to collectively agree on, in the very least, basic parameters and approaches to ease the burden of high manufacturing cost. Over the long term, standardization promises to accelerate technology development, cost reduction and industry growth similar to that realized in the semiconductor industry.
Global PV standards roadmap
Under the auspices of the SEMI International Standards Program and PV Group, a core team of industry experts met in May 2008 to devise a plan and timeline for a broad Global PV Standards Roadmap. Their first task involved a high-level assessment of existing SEMI Standards and Safety Guidelines by topic to determine their applicability for PV manufacturing. Out of 80 topics, 64 were deemed applicable, with 31 of them being rated a top priority. The results were both expected and surprising:
• Expected Results: Due to significant similarities between semiconductor, flat panel display and photovoltaic cell manufacturing, the core team determined that leveraging existing SEMI Standards for PV manufacturing is possible.
• Surprising Results: Until this assessment was conducted, not even long-time supporters of SEMI Standards realized how much useful and directly applicable documentation already existed — without even surveying standards produced by other Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) such as ASTM International and IEEE. The message to the global PV community is that there are standards the industry can implement for immediate benefit in PV manufacturing.
The findings of Phase 1 have been compiled in a Guidance Document, which can be downloaded from the PV Group website.
But what about those issues that are truly unique to PV? Which parts of the manufacturing process are most critical with respect to their implications on cost or risk? How can the industry best prioritize those needs and requirements and rally around standards that make sense? And how can development of new standards be harmonized and aligned while maximizing the value of existing ones? These questions form the basis of discussions in Phase 2 of the PV Standards Roadmap project, which began in January 2009.
Four priority areas that are unique to PV manufacturing are already obvious, even though the standards assessment work continues:
• Automation
• Materials and substrates
• Facilities
• Environmental, health and safety (EHS)
The next Global PV Standards Roadmap report, scheduled to be released in conjunction with SEMICON West in San Francisco next month, will summarize the results of these latest assessments and other Phase 2 activities. New international task forces focusing on these and other priorities are in formation, with some meeting during the July event.
Needed: Participation from cell and module manufacturers
While the PV Standards Core Team has nearly doubled in size since the beginning of the year, PV Group needs greater participation by cell and module makers in the standards development process. In the semiconductor industry, participation by device makers such as Intel, IBM and TSMC in the SEMI Standards Program has advanced technology development and directly benefitted their businesses. PV Group sees similar benefits ahead for the PV industry the more cell and module makers get involved.
Cell and module makers have a unique opportunity to engage with their suppliers to collectively identify solutions that will help the entire manufacturing supply chain and at the same time advance their own technology and business interests. A meaningful path toward cost reduction, technical innovation, high-yield volume manufacturing and, ultimately, grid parity, requires the voice of the customer. It is critical that cell and module makers participate in these important efforts.
At SEMICON West and Intersolar North America, representatives from SEMI International Standards and PV Group will be available to discuss Core Team developments and details on how to participate in the SEMI PV Group standards activities, both at the SEMI booth at SEMICON West, located in the lower lobby of North Hall in Moscone Center, and the PV Group booth, located at Intersolar North America in West Hall, Level 3, Booth 7120. Additionally, a workshop on PV equipment performance and communication standards will be held in conjunction with SEMICON West, Tuesday, July 14, 1:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Additional information on this and other PV events is available on the SEMICON West website.
Racing to Excellence in PV Manufacturing
11/01/2008PV at SEMICON West
03/12/2010
