Electrical Equipment / Components & Telecoms

Heterojunction cell and module producer Meyer Burger has signed a new supply agreement with Norwegian Crystals for European-made silicon wafers.

Meyer Burger said that since the polysilicon used to make the wafers is produced in Europe and the United States, the deal will increase the company's supply chain resilience while providing wafers with a low carbon footprint.

Norwegian Crystals produces monocrystalline silicon products such as wafers and ingots. The company told PV Tech earlier this year that the energy mix at its production plant in northern Norway is 99 percent hydro and 1 percent wind.

Meyer Burger is in discussions with Norwegian Crystals about expanding wafer supply in the coming years

Based on the initial supply agreement, Meyer Burger said it is in discussions with Norwegian Crystals about expanding the supply of silicon wafers in the coming years.

"With the delivery of the first European-produced wafers, Meyer Burger fills a strategic gap in rebuilding the supply chain for European solar cell and solar module capacity," said Daniel Menzel, Chief Operating Officer of Meyer Burger.

According to Meyer Burger, the Swiss company has sourced components such as solar glass, thin films, cell connectors, chemicals and process gases for solar cell and module production in parts of Europe.

Earlier this month, Meyer Burger downgraded production plans for 2022 and 2023 in part due to the challenging supply chain environment. Previously, the company expected to produce 500MW of modules this year, and the current expected module capacity is 320-370MW.

From September, Meyer Burger's plant in Freiburg, Germany, will increase capacity to 1.4GW, and is expected to have a capacity of 1-1.2GW in 2023, down from its previous target of 1.35GW.