Soitec adds one of its new sun-tracking concentrated solar photovoltaic panels to the East Campus Utility Plant at UCSD. Engineer Luc Mader directs a crane operator.
— Sean M. Haffey
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Download: Soitec’s technology: How it works
French semiconductor maker Soitec is moving forward with plans for a solar manufacturing plant within San Diego city limits, putting the region at the forefront for deployment of a promising and relatively new photovoltaic technology.
The factory in Rancho Bernardo will produce concentrated photovoltaic modules that use optical lenses to focus sunlight onto tiny solar cells measuring one-tenth of an inch. Researchers say the technology, pioneered on space missions, is poised for a commercial breakthrough next year on utility-scale electricity generating projects and may soon compete broadly with traditional silicon solar panels, even as panel prices plummet.
Soitec foresees employing 450 full-time workers when its plant opens in October. The production capacity will be equivalent to 200
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