Source: Trumpf

Solar energy lights up Germany's path to the future. Photovoltaics are emerging as the "guiding star" industry of the 21st century. The sector is creating countless jobs and is impressively supported by laser technology.

The laser industry has a good sales market with the manufacturers of solar cells, particularly because Germany ranks among the global market leaders in photovoltaics. "The solar sector hasn't just had excellent framework conditions in Germany since the climate debate began", says Günther Braun, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rofin-Sinar Technologies Inc., Plymouth (USA). German laser engineers have once again used this trend to prove their excellence in identifying new applications.

Growing market for laser beam sources
Experts believe that the laser beam sources used in solar technology will double by 2010. At the same time the turnover in the photovoltaics industry will also increase by 100 percent. According to the German Solar Industry Association, the turnover generated by photovoltaic manufacturers in 2007 rose by 23 percent to EUR 5.5 billion. A total of 10,000 jobs were created, putting the number of people employed in the industry at 40,000.

The thin film technology domain
Know-how is invested, for example, in thin film technology - a German domain that experts believe will replace silicon as the basis for solar cells. These modules process solar radiation more efficiently and achieve 15 percent more power when compared with crystalline technologies. 15 solar plants are currently being planned and built, of which the majority will use thin film technology.

Lasers, however, are not confined to thin film technology. They find applications practically everywhere in the production of solar cells, whether it be with drilling, cutting or milling layers. The laser also insulates the edges by removing a part of the top layer, in order to prevent short-circuits.

Laser industry momentum
"Germany is the technology leader in the solar industry", says Rofin-Sinar CEO, Günther Braun. Cost reductions and efficiency increases play a major role in the production of solar modules. Mr. Braun explains how, "lasers help to automate processes on many levels of the value creation chain." No other tool can beat the speed of a laser in structuring or edge stripping. "Production numbers are significantly increased and production costs are reduced", emphasizes Mr. Braun, Chairman of the VDMA-Fachverbands Laser und Lasersysteme für die Materialbearbeitung (German laser and laser systems for material processing association).

As a key topic at LASER World of PHOTONICS 2009, lasers in the production of photovoltaics will bring manufacturers, developers and users together and demonstrate new and promising potential.