October 14, 2005—Evergreen Solar, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) products, announces that all of its modules are now being tested to a more stringent international standard. Under the new standard, Evergreen modules are being tested to produce a minimum of 98 percent or more of their rated power output. Currently, there is no recognized third-party standard for minimum power output. Minimum power ratings used by PV manufacturers range as low as 90 percent, according to Evergreen Solar.
Referring to the company’s String Ribbon manufacturing technology, Terry Bailey, Evergreen Solar senior vice president, says, “We believe we have always had high standards within the industry. By instituting this even more stringent internal test for power output performance, we’re holding ourselves and our products to one of the highest standards in the industry.” Evergreen’s patented String Ribbon manufacturing process produces nearly one-and-a-half times as much power per pound of refined silicon as conventional methods, says the company, adding that it is currently developing advanced technology to produce substantially thinner silicon wafers that could generate three times as much power.
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