STANDARDS
Early standards will speed industry
All industries eventually develop global standards to ensure quality and interoperability
througout the value chain. The photovoltaic (PV) industry is still considered to be new
despite the many years of research behind it. The PV industry is lucky in that it can
draw from similar industries to further the process. Bettina Weiss, Photovoltaic
Segment Senior Director at the SEMI PV Group discusses the cost saving potential
Issue I 2009
from implementing agreed standards.
Second, the SEMI Standards Programme has a
-pv-management.com M
any new and emerging
technologies—automotive, proven standards development process with a
semiconductors, flat panel displays, micro-electro- thirty-five year history, developing nearly 800
.solar
mechanical systems (MEMS)—have developed standards and safety guidelines, many directly
www
and prospered to a great extent because of a applicable. Third, PV Group Regional Advisory
shared understanding among their supply chains. Committees in Europe, North America and Asia,
26
That understanding—reducing the cost of making comprised of stakeholders from all segments of
devices, improving efficiencies along processes the industry including cell and module makers,
and manufacturing steps, and mitigating risks for have demanded effective standards.
operators, machinery and the environment—are at
the core of sustainable growth, globalization and In order to become a cost effective energy source,
widespread adoption of technology. Industry PV needs to lower its costs per energy unit to the
standards activities are desperately needed in the same level as current energy sources: i.e., in the
PV industry to reduce cost and accelerate range of 20 Euro-cents (25 cents U.S.) per kWh
investment in innovation. Although some standards peak in grid connected systems (price point
are applicable, the PV industry has either been depends on local conditions and energy price
dominated by de-facto standards from dominant evolution). With cell manufacturing representing
players or has had no standards at all. approximately 40% of the total system cost, any
The SEMI International Standards Programme is in manufacturing inefficiency such as buffer stock,
a unique position to accelerate appropriate change of carrier, machine-to-machine
standards activities for the PV industry. First, many communication and process observables for
semiconductor standards are immediately advanced process control needs to be eliminated.
applicable to the PV industry. Materials and
equipment suppliers who serve the display, It is critical that consensus-based, global standards
semiconductor and PV industries do not want to are developed and implemented to accelerate the
support a new set of communication protocols, path to grid parity, leading to greater adoption of
labeling requirements, testing metrics, physical solar energy and providing the foundation for
interfaces and other features where they add no reducing our dependency on traditional, non-
value to the customer. renewable energy sources.
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