Hanwha Q Cells is to receive up to 700MW of 1366 Technologies’ Direct Wafer technology over a five-year period.
The deal, which follows a year-long strategic partnership to commercialize 1366’s technology with Hanwha’s Q.antum cell technology, will go ahead once 1366 meets certain terms and conditions related to its wafer qualification and timing of delivery as agreed by both companies.
1366 aims to supply the wafers from its planned US manufacturing facility in New York state, which is scheduled to be online in 2017.
1366’s Direct Wafer technology is a transformative manufacturing process that makes wafers in a single step, pulling them directly from molten silicon instead of a multi-step, energy- and capital-intensive approach, Hanwha said.
Hanwha Q Cells chief executive officer Seong-woo Nam said: “This agreement aligns with our continuing efforts to bring about world leading technologies that enable solar energy to be more competitive and more affordable.
“We are pleased with the progress we have made together during the past year and excited about the potential of 1366’s Direct Wafer products with Hanwha’s cell and module technologies to deliver further cost reductions and LCOE competitiveness to standard multi-crystalline wafer-based modules.”
Image: Hanwha
