PV manufacturing status report for Golden Photon, Inc.

This paper furnishes a brief overview of Golden Photon, Inc.’s, background, from its origins as Photon Energy, Inc., to its acquisition by ACX Technologies of Golden, Colorado. Included is a review of the current construction status of Golden Photon’s new 2 megawatt cadmium‐telluride photovoltaic module production plant, as well as the processes that went into defining the equipment and process parameters for the new manufacturing lines. The paper also provides a review of recent improvements seen in the performance of modules produced at Golden Photon’s R&D facility in El Paso, Texas. These improvements were validated through testing performed by NREL at their outdoor test facility in Golden, Colorado, on six Golden Photon modules. Means by which Golden Photon anticipates further improvements in module performance are addressed in the paper. Additionally, an overview of Golden Photon’s ‘recycling’ philosophies is out‐lined, which includes plans for handling of waste manufacturing materials, as well as the recapture of damaged modules from the field. The paper also includes a brief look at Golden Photon’s plans for the near‐term future. These plans will include manufacturing process optimization, materials cost reductions, and targeted module R&D activities.