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Manz AG: New efficiency world record from exclusive research partner ZSW substantiates the technological advantage of CIGS thin film technology

DGAP-News: Manz AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
Manz AG: New efficiency world record from exclusive research partner
ZSW substantiates the technological advantage of CIGS thin film
technology

23.09.2014 / 09:58

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Manz AG: New efficiency world record from exclusive research partner ZSW
substantiates the technological advantage of CIGS thin film technology

- Efficiency enters new dimensions with 21.7% and surpasses the world
record for thin film solar laboratory cells by 0.7 percentage points

- With access to leading world record technology, Manz has secured
ongoing technological leadership in mechanical engineering for thin
film solar modules

- CIGS technology is already realizing the lowest costs for solar power
through ongoing technological advances and has enormous potential for
additional cost reduction at its disposal.

Reutlingen, September 23, 2014 - With 21.7%, the center for Solar Energy
and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wuerttemberg (ZSW), Manz AG's research partner
in the field of CIGS thin film solar technology on glass, has presented a
new world record for CIGS thin film solar cell efficiency. It is the
highest efficiency ever achieved in thin film solar technology and
significantly exceeds even the previous record held by today's
market-leading multicrystalline silicon solar technology. The world record
was officially confirmed by the Frauenhofer Institute for Solar Energy
Systems ISE in Freiburg.

Dieter Manz, CEO and founder of Manz AG stated: "The new world record is an
impressive result of efficient collaboration between the ZSW and Manz as an
exclusive industry partner. With 21.7% the ZSW has not only negated the
last world record but far surpassed it. This makes me very proud and is
clear evidence that CIGS thin film technology demonstrates the highest
potential by far for continued enhancement of the rate of efficiency. In
the previous years, only thin film technology was putting out new world
records - with a clear advantage for us in further developed CIGS
technology. And we are far from having reached the end of the development."
With the world record the gap in comparison to multicrystalline technology
now increases to 1.3 percent, which further strengthens the attractiveness
of CIGS technology: In the future, CIGS thin film solar modules are thereby
not only more powerful than multicrystalline solar cells but also
significantly cheaper to produce. CIGS technology will therefore assume an