The 3SUN company, the Enel Green Power’s photovoltaic module producer, has launched the AMPERE project – Automated Photovoltaic and Panel Production, at the Catania headquarters in Sicily to regain and secure the European renewable energy market. The meeting brought together representatives of all the partners involved. 3SUN is the coordinator of the AMPERE project. The project is funded by the European Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program, which aims to increase the competitiveness of European photovoltaic industries, according to a press release.
The AMPERE consortium includes all the major European research centers as well as the most important photovoltaic companies and is coordinated by 3SUN. AMPERE seeks to develop a fully automated pilot line for the production of heterogeneous modules based on innovative, high-efficiency technology. The new two-sided active faces and the different connection points using crystalline and amorphous silicon provide a high efficiency and production as well as low panel damage. The first of these new modules will be produced in the first half of 2018, before boosting the production to a maximum of 240 MWp in 2019.
Funding for the AMPERE consortium amounts to 14 million euro (out of which 8.3 million euros for 3SUN and 0.5 million euros for Enel Green Power) for the acquisition and installation of the automated equipment from 3SUN. The project aims at creating a production line capable of producing cells and modules by heterojunction and, at a later stage, expanding the production capacity of the plant.
The aforementioned funding is linked to another grant of 14.1 million euros, which is currently assessed by the Italian National Agency for Investment and Business Development, Invitalia. The funding assessed by Invitalia has already been allocated by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Region of Sicily. Both funds are dedicated to the financing of production equipment and technology conversion facilities for the 3SUN plant since the start of the project, initially involving the assembly of photovoltaic cells to produce two-sided active modules and different connection points.
The photovoltaic cells, which have the ability to convert nearly a quarter of the solar radiation into electricity, will be developed by applying innovative manufacturing processes. The production will be digitized by implementing high-level automation, which includes line controls to ensure high productivity at competitive costs.