STANDARDS
These
SEMI PV Group establishes core team
In response to these discussions, in May 2008, the
regular
SEMI PV Group established a Core Team of
volunteer experts representing all sectors of the
updates
industry and other special interests. The Core
Team agreed to support the development of a
to the
global Standards Roadmap for photovoltaic (PV)
manufacturing processes, from feedstock materials
industry are to finished cells and modules. The goals are to
designed
identify several high-priority areas where currently
no standards exist, get significant work under way,
to convey
and present a comprehensive update on Phase 2
by July 2009.
Issue I 2009
progress,
(SDOs) to coordinate and streamline industry
These regular updates to the industry are designed standard activities. While more in-depth reviews of
and to
to communicate progress, and to reach out and individual standards and safety guidelines need to
engage others to join the efforts. More participation occur, the Core Team is confident that the Phase 1
reach out
from cell and module makers is needed, and the Guidance Document—by identifying “Applicable,”
Core Team is looking for a more geographically “Possibly Applicable” and “Top Priority” SEMI
and
diversified setup. The ultimate “Roadmap” resulting Standards for the PV industry—will expedite the
-pv-management.com from all these activities can only be successful and standards development and deployment process
engage
meaningful if it represents true consensus among by identifying and prioritising high-value standards
.solar
stakeholders. It will be a living, breathing, changing opportunities while leveraging existing, proven
www others to
document that is expected to provide immediate solutions for other areas.
benefits to the entire PV manufacturing value
28
join the
chain. Much more work lies ahead. The primary objective of the Guidance Document
is to communicate to the large and diverse PV
efforts
Phase 1 Guidance Document manufacturing community an approach to
Phase 1 of the Roadmap effort was a accelerate technology development and
comprehensive analysis of existing SEMI standards sustainable growth in the industry, as well as share
and safety guidelines for the applicability to PV information about existing solutions that can
manufacturing, and an aggressive outreach effort immediately be applied to the photovoltaic
to other standards developing organisations manufacturing process. In particular, the document
provides initial suggestions of standards
development and deployment, in order to:
Standard impact
ring6 Reduce manufacturing cost
ring6 Streamline and improve the various elements
Other industries, such as flat panel displays, have also benefitted from the of the manufacturing process
experience of the semiconductor industry. Flat panel displays (FPD) have ring6 Mitigate risks for operating personnel, facilities
grown to over a $100 billion market, up from approximately $30 billion in and the environment
2002. With the strong emergence of display manufacturing in the 1990’s, ring6 Create a forward-looking approach to
SEMI expanded its Standards Program into FPD, aided by key similarities addressing technology advancements, taking
between chip making and display fabrication technologies. SEMI has into account R&D efforts, government policies
developed over 50 standards for the FPD industry. Thin film transistor and other factors
liquid crystal display technology (TFT-LCD) is the dominant display ring6 Collectively develop global, consensus-driven
technology and the one most similar to thin film PV technology. From to solutions positively influenced by industry
2005 to 2010, TFT-LCD products will grow from approximately 30% to over stakeholders
70% of the TV revenues worldwide. The driving force behind the adoption
of TFT-LCD technology has been rapid cost reduction. Collaborative Initiatives
The Guidance Document further describes planned
Unlike semiconductor technology where the learning curve is based on collaborative initiatives involving other Standards
cost per transistor, in displays the industry learning curve is most often Developing Organizations (SDOs) such as ASTM
defined by cost per area. In semiconductors, the milestones in Moore’s International, IEEE and others, as well as the
Law have been associated with new geometries: 65 nm, 45 nm, 32 nm, increasing participation of research laboratories
etc. In displays, the cost reduction milestones have been marked with next like NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory
generation substrates. Just as FPD benefitted from semiconductor in the U.S.) and the value of their contributions.
experience, PV can learn from both industry’s experience in driving rapid The PV Standards Roadmap Guidance Document
cost reduction through pre-competitive collaboration and industry was announced by a SEMI PV Group press release
standards. in January and available through SEMI.
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