Further developments in solar industry

Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH has concluded a contract for the complete gas management of the newly founded photovoltaic company Sunfilm AG. Stockholders of Sunfilm AG are Norsun AG and Good Energies, a business belonging to the Dutch COFRA Group, one of the world leading investors in renewable energies.

At Großröhrsdorf, east of Dresden in Saxony, Sunfilm will be the first company to manufacture tandem thin-layered photovoltaic modules on glass carrier materials of approx. 6 square metres. The first of the production lines is currently being built. The ten year-contract with Air Liquide includes the supply of industrial and specialty gases as well as all related services regarding gas management by an Air Liquide dedicated team.

Solar industry in full swing

With annual growth rates of more than 30 per cent, the photovoltaic industry is one of the booming lines of business in the world. The production of solar cells requires large quantities of industrial gases. One production line alone consumes several million cubic metres of nitrogen per year. Air Liquide will notably provide nitrogen, hydrogen, silane, NF3 and helium. For the new plant at Großröhrsdorf, Air Liquide will construct a nitrogen on-site production unit and all the facilities required to safely manage bulk specialty gases containers directly on the customer's premises.

François Darchis, Senior Vice-President in charge of World Business Line Industrial Merchant in Air Liquide, said: “We are very happy to enter this new contract with Sunfilm as it confirms our position as market leader in the worldwide photovoltaic industry. Our recent successes in Germany, but also in the rest of Europe, the US, and in Asia, illustrate the relevance of our ALUX offer, dedicated to the solar industry. The Group’s innovation capabilities allow us to meet the needs of customers using new technologies and to benefit from the booming growth of the solar industry.”