【Jan.,2023】Vol.8 Solar Cell Materials

The IK Group is involved in businesses related to solar power generation, a form of renewable energy, in many countries around the world.

In continuation of the “Initiatives in the Environment Sector” covered in the July 2021 issue, we would like to share with you the work Inabata Europe GmbH and Inabata America Corp. are doing on solar cell materials.

Note: The following is a translation of the Japanese article.

Inabata America Corp.

from left;
Sales Manager Yoshi Sato
Sales Di Wu
Business Coordinator Sayaka Ozawa
Vice President Richard Sabeh
Business Coordinator Manager Futaba Garza

– Why did Inabata America Corp. get involved in the solar cell materials business?

Richard: Around the beginning of 2000 when the German government started getting serious about generating solar power, Inabata America Corp., along with Inabata Europe GmbH and IKJ, started looking for suppliers of solar cell materials and met a Chinese glass manufacturer. We then proposed that manufacturer’s protective glass for solar panels to company A in the US, one of the top ten module manufacturers in the world, and we helped in developing new products for the manufacturer in various ways, including quickly supplying new samples. As a result, in 2011 Inabata America Corp. was recognized as a supplier for company A and started business.

– Can you please tell us how Inabata America Corp.’s solar cell materials business is currently going?

Richard: Inabata America Corp.’s main job is selling the Chinese manufacturer’s protective glass to company A, a manufacturer of cadmium Telluride solar cells. 90% of the solar cells made today are made of silicon and multiple cells are connected to make a module. Company A’s solar cells are made by taking a module-sized glass panel and painting it with the material. The amount of carbon emissions from this process can be suppressed to about half the amount of silicon solar cells. They are fit for large-scale facilities and are mainly being used by power generation facilities and public utilities.

* For more information on the manufacturing process of cadmium Telluride solar cells, please click here for video.

– Can you please tell us about the current solar cell market in the US and what Inabata America Corp. is planning for the future?

Di: The ratio of the US’s energy sources is a little less than 60% fossil fuels, the biggest source, and only 3.9% solar power. In the US, a new system has been implemented, granting anyone who installs a solar power system between the years 2022 and 2032 a 30% deduction in federal taxes and granting a 40% deduction to module manufacturers who use American products, so we predict the market will grow from here.

It is typical for solar panel manufacturers to have manufacturing facilities in China, a leader in both manufacturing and consumption. Company A is one of the only companies who has more than half of their parts manufactured in the US, so the likelihood they will receive a tax deduction is extremely high.

We at Inabata America Corp. want to become more than just a protective glass supplier. We want to be a one-stop-shop for module manufacturers. Our strength lies in our ability to inquire about module manufacturers’ panel designs and then reach out to our various IK locations around the world to arrange and supply the necessary parts for them.

Richard Sabeh

It is the responsibility of our generation to pass down a beautiful Earth to our grandchildren. Solar power is an environmentally friendly energy source compared to other energy resources. I am delighted that the IK Group can contribute to the future by working together in the solar cell materials business.

Di Wu

I just joined the company in 2021 and have only six months of experience in the solar cell materials business, but I would like to search for and propose various materials from all over the world to help create a better future.

Inabata Europe GmbH

from left;
Sales David　Funaro
Delivery Jacky Sneouar
Sales Manager　Kazuto Oishi

– How did Inabata Europe GmbH get involved in the solar cell materials business?

Oishi: A Japanese electronics manufacturer we had previously worked with in Japan merged with two European companies in Italy around 2010. They established a solar cell module factory, and Inabata Europe GmbH sold solar cell materials to them, starting our business. After that, the Japanese electronics manufacturer and one of the European companies pulled out and left Italian company B to do business alone, but because we continued to supply them with materials, they recognized us as a new supplier, bringing us to today.

– Please tell us about the trends of the EU solar cell market and the solar cell module industry.

Oishi: The EU solar cell market expanded until the start of 2010 because of the effects of the implemented feed-in tariff system, but the market shrunk for a short period after the system was abolished. However, from 2018, due to European governments’ support of decarbonization and the decrease in installation costs, the market made a drastic recovery. With the current war raging on in Ukraine causing concerns of an energy shortage, it is expected the market will only continue to grow.

On the other hand, in 2010, many European module manufacturers went bankrupt or consolidated because of the shrinking market, so the remaining factories are small in scale and are not very price competitive. For that reason, most of the modules currently being used by the large-scale solar power stations in Europe are imports from China and other countries. European companies are competing fiercely by creating modules with the ability to effectively convert sunlight into energy at a level that rivals imports, giving them more value.

– What is Inabata Europe GmbH currently working on?

David: In 2023, we will supply solar cell materials like silver paste, encapsulants, conductive adhesives, etc. to factories, especially large-scale factories operated by company B. We handle many of the products necessary for production of highly effective modules known as HJT*, which company B is currently planning on producing. Unlike other module manufacturers, we even generate our own solar power, so we don’t have any unsold modules and we have few credit concerns.

Going forward, so that more of our solar cell materials will be recognized by module manufacturers, we are prioritizing cooperation with external research facilities focused on technology development. Additionally, since European companies are emphasizing ESG management, one of IK’s key roles is to explain and advise supplying manufacturers on needs for surveys related to carbon emissions, wastewater management, various certifications, and labor environment.

* Heterojunction: a highly effective thin layer solar cell made of silicon

Kazuto Oishi

The solar cell materials business that Inabata Europe is engaged in today was made possible by the relationships that our predecessors established in Japan. In Europe, many people feel the joy of contributing to society through their involvement in the renewable energy business, so I find it very rewarding.

David Funaro

In Europe, gas prices have recently jumped two to three times, and energy issues are a daily topic of conversation. In this situation, we are happy to be able to play a part in making use of a renewable resource that is, in a sense, free of charge: solar power.