News: Photovoltaics
16 October 2024
AZUR’s 35% solar cell production capacity increase surpasses 30% targeted for 2024
Specialty semiconductor and performance materials producer 5N Plus Inc of Montreal, Québec, Canada says that its subsidiary AZUR SPACE Solar Power GmbH of Heilbronn, Germany has completed its previously announced 2024 production capacity program ahead of schedule and expanded its capacity by 35%, surpassing its initial 30% increase target. By the end of 2025, AZUR intends to increase its solar cell production capacity by a further 30%, with minimal additional investments as most of the equipment has been purchased and delivered.
Completion of this program and actions being taken to further increase capacity through next year will enable AZUR to meet the growing needs of strategic client-partners, and to maintain momentum in generating revenues and increased profitability. “Since becoming a 5N+ company in late 2021, AZUR has already significantly boosted sales compared with previous years, which reflects both sustained demand in the space sector and AZUR’s leadership as a longstanding and sought-after provider of advanced solar cell technology,” says 5N+’s president & CEO Gervais Jacques.
The 2024 capacity program, which began in early 2023, enhanced production in all AZUR departments, including epitaxy growth, cell production, assembly and testing. The program included the implementation of an additional shift across all departments in 2023, moving the operation to a 24/7 production schedule. It also involved the installation and commissioning of new equipment to increase overall production yield and capacity, as well as automation.
The additional 30% capacity increase through 2025 will be achieved by the newly installed and commissioned epitaxy reactors for front-end production to grow multi-layer semiconductor crystals utilizing a metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) technique, a core process in producing AZUR’s high-efficiency solar cells for space conditions. As part of the program, the capacity of several tools, such as those used for the deposition of metals and dielectrics, have been increased. Also, equipment to be commissioned soon will bring additional automation.
“We will continue to work diligently to complete our 2025 production capacity program, as we seek to continually strengthen our position as a partner of choice and to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” concludes Jacques.
5N Plus to increase AZUR’s production capacity by 30% over 2023–2024
