News Article
FiT Bonus For "Made In The EU" Solar Modules
Manufacturer of flexible solar modules Global Solar Energy has received certification from the German Technical Inspectorate, TÜV, confirming the European origin of its modules. This will allow operators of Italian plants equipped with Global Solar modules to snap up a 10% bonus additional to the regular feed-in remuneration.
TÜV's inspection of the Global Solar production sites confirmed that the modules comply with high European standards. In Italy, solar installations where at least 60% of the components are manufactured in Europe are rewarded under the "Conto Energia 4" feed-in program. This was introduced by the Italian government in an endeavour to promote products with the "Made in Europe" seal of quality.
"The certification makes our modules particularly appealing to the Italian market", explains Jean-Noel Poirier, Senior Vice President of Marketing & Business Development at Global Solar Energy. "Furthermore the bonus really helps to stimulate innovation and production within the EU. The aim is to create and keep jobs within Europe instead of supporting the shift of production jobs to countries with low-wage economies."
Since August 2011 the company has manufactured flexible modules "“ that are currently the most efficient of their kind worldwide "“ at its site in Berlin-Adlershof. Solar cells manufactured by the company itself are employed in these modules. The Berlin-based cell production factory has been in operation since 2008 and currently has a production capacity of 35 megawatts (MW). Group headquarters are located in Tucson, Arizona, where the module production plant has a capacity of 40 MW. A total of 300 staff are employed across the company's different sites.
Thanks to their low weight of just 3.5 kilograms per square meter, thin-film modules from Global Solar Energy are particularly well-suited to industrial roofs, which are unable to bear high loads. After being rolled on the roof surface, they are simply affixed into position and require no support frames or stands. Each measuring 5.74 x 0.5 meters, the new modules have a high power output of up to 300 Watts. High module efficiencies of up to 12.6% are achieved thanks to a unique mixing ratio of copper, indium, gallium and diselenide, making the products twice as efficient as flexible amorphous silicon modules.
