InnoLas Solutions consolidates photovoltaic business with a new order from Meyer Burger Technology AG

Meyer Burger is a leading manufacturer in the field of solar technology. As part of a change in strategy, the company is shifting from a pure system provider to a manufacturer of high-performance solar cells and modules. Meyer Burger is currently the only European company investing extensively in the production of solar cells.

InnoLas Solutions‘ process know-how goes a long way towards making the plans for its own cell production a reality. The patented Laser Direct Cleaving (LDC) cell-cutting process is integrated into the customised LUMION models. InnoLas Solutions‘ state-of-the-art technology is guided by a laser beam and is a direct cleaving process. The ablation-free process is characterised by a clear-cut, fast working method and is extremely gentle on the material.

"We are very pleased that we can build on the expertise of InnoLas Solutions on our way to becoming the leading manufacturer of solar cells and modules," says Jochen Fritsche, Production Manager at Meyer Burger’s facility in Bitterfeld-Wolfen. “The LDC process developed by InnoLas Solutions is ideally suited for the production of our latest heterojunction/smart wire technology.”

Meyer Burger’s solar cells are based on patented heterojunction technology. This combines the advantages of crystalline solar cells with those of thin-film photovoltaics. While crystalline silicon structures generally enable higher levels of efficiency, amorphous silicon ensures better light yield. The cells also have a significantly lower temperature coefficient than conventional silicon solar cells, which guarantees stable performance even at high temperatures.

“After the collapse of the European photovoltaic market around ten years ago, it’s good to see part of the business coming back from Asia. This is indicative of a current paradigm shift in the market. It’s very encouraging to have another German customer in the photovoltaic sector,” says Eckhard Schäfer, Vice President Sales Asia at InnoLas Solutions. "We’re proud that we can use our expertise to support such a discerning customer in building a factory."

Meyer Burger has announced its intention to expand its capacity to 5 GW in 2026 and has signed a letter of intent for further collaboration with InnoLas Solutions in the LDC system projects. The first step is to start expansion with a capacity of 400 megawatts both in Bitterfeld-Wolfen (solar cell) and in Freiberg (solar module).

About the Photonics Systems Group

The Photonics Systems Group is a market leader in laser systems for micro material processing. The Group, comprising the companies InnoLas Solutions and L-TRIS, develops, produces, and distributes customised machine and process solutions for high-precision laser applications in the photovoltaic, electronics, and semiconductor industries. The systems are used by renowned international customers in the core markets of Europe, the USA, and Asia. The Group employs over 120 people at its headquarters in Krailling (Germany), in the USA, as well as at various facilities in Asia. Please find further information here.

About Meyer Burger Technology Ltd

www.meyerburger.com

Meyer Burger is starting production of high-performance solar cells and solar modules in 2021. Its proprietary heterojunction/SmartWire technology enables the company to set new industry standards in terms of energy yield. With solar cells and modules developed in Switzerland and manufactured in Germany according to high sustainability standards, Meyer Burger aims to become a leading European photovoltaic company. The company currently employs around 600 people at research facilities in Switzerland, development and manufacturing sites in Germany and sales offices in Europe, the USA and Asia.

Meyer Burger was founded in 1953 in Switzerland. As a provider of production systems, the company has shaped the development of the global photovoltaic industry along the entire value chain in recent decades and has set essential industry standards. A large part of the solar modules produced worldwide today are based on technologies developed by Meyer Burger.

The registered shares of Meyer Burger Technology Ltd are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker: MBTN).