阿特斯太阳能（Canadian Solar Inc.，CSI）宣布，与荷兰能源研究中心（ECN）签署了一项联合技术开发和转让协议，并将在阿特斯的量产线上采用MWT（metal wrap-through）技术。
MWT电池方法将电池正面收集的能量通过电池再转移至电池背面。它不再需要在电池正面制作”母线”，因此电池表面就有更大面积来采集阳光并将其转化为电能。该项技术更先进的版本是EWT（emitter wrap-through ）结构，它能进一步消除电池正面“栅线”的使用，因此更能提高电池的转换效率(如左图所示，上图为MWT技术的电池，下图为传统的制作母线和栅线电池)。通过在组件产品中使用背面互连技术，这两种wrap-through技术都能够增加组件的转换效率。而特制的组件组装设备将与一家位于荷兰的组件组装工艺设备制造商Eurotron共同开发和制造。更高的转换效率将使得CSI能够生产出更高效的太阳能组件，从而极大地降低制造成本。MWT电池技术的转让预计将在6个月内完成。
协议是阿特斯综合性高效技术研发项目的一部分。该公司计划在2009年的第四季度开始商业化引进新的电池结构，该结构将结合使用改进的选择性发射极工艺、更好的纹理化（texturization）、精密的丝网印刷，以及其他的一些改进。新结构预计能使单晶硅电池的转换效率提升到18.5%，多晶硅电池效率提高到16.8%。阿特斯研发项目的长远目标还包括异质结本征薄层（hetero-junction intrinsic thin-layer ）电池和多结电池的研发。这些工作将在几年内完成，并能将电池的转换效率提升到20%以上，甚至达到25%。
阿特斯董事长兼CEO Shawn Qu表示，“阿特斯很高兴能够与ECN进行技术合作。ECN是高效电池和组件技术如MWT领先的研发机构。合作将帮助CSI获得更高质量的电池效率，实现对客户的价值承诺。更高效率的组件还能降低制造和安装成本，这两者将使得终端客户的光伏系统更具成本效益。”
ECN董事长Ton Hoff说，“CSI是ECN理想的合作伙伴。其注重研发提供更高质量和成本效益的光伏产品的长期承诺，使其成为业界领先厂商。ECN也将为CSI提供最好的机会来采用最新的技术。我们选择阿特斯，是因为他们有很强的财力、全球化布局，合作能将我们的技术从实验室环境转移到商业化量产中，实现更好的环境友好性和太阳能利用。
Canadian Solar Inc. announced that it has signed a joint technology development and transfer agreement with Energy Research Center of the Netherlands ("ECN") to apply the technology for metal wrap-through ("MWT") cells to Canadian Solar's production lines.
MWT cells eliminate the need for front side bus-bars and therefore increase effective surface and the conversion efficiency of a solar cell. A more advanced version of this technology, emitter wrap-through ("EWT") structures, can further eliminate the front surface grid and therefore further increase the cell conversion efficiency. Both of these wrap-through technologies also increase module conversion efficiency by enabling back-side interconnection technology in module production. The specialized module assembly equipment will be developed and manufactured in co-operation with Eurotron, a Netherlands based manufacturer and supplier of handling equipment for module assembly. Higher conversion efficiency cells will allow the Company to produce more powerful solar modules, while potentially reducing manufacturing costs. The transfer of MWT cell technology is expected to take approximately 6 months.
This agreement is part of Canadian Solar's comprehensive high-efficiency research program. In the fourth quarter of 2009, the Company expects to begin commercially introducing a new cell structure which combines a modified selective emitter process and, better texturization, precise state-of-art screen printing and several other improvements. The new structure is expected to raise the conversion efficiency of monocrystalline cells to 18.5% and multicrystalline cells with an estimated 16.8% conversion efficiency. Longer-term objectives for Canadian Solar's research program include researching on hetero-junction intrinsic thin-layer cells and tandem junction cells. These activities are expected to take several years and could result in cells with conversion efficiencies in excess of 20% to as high as 25%.
Canadian Solar's Chairman and CEO, Shawn Qu, said, "We are very pleased to have the Energy Research Center as a technology partner. ECN is a leading institute for high-efficiency cell and module technologies such as MWT. Working together will help us to improve the higher-powered modules currently preferred as a premium product by Canadian Solar's customers. Producing high-efficiency cells is an important part of our commitment to producing premium branded products. In addition to the brand value of these products, higher power modules can reduce manufacturing and installation costs, both of which are critical to making PV systems more cost-effective for end customers."
ECN's chairman of the board, Ton Hoff, said, "Canadian Solar is an ideal partner for us. Its long-term commitment to leveraging R&D to provide higher quality, more cost-effective PV products has made it an industry leader. As a strong and independent research institute, ECN gives their partners a perfect opportunity to apply the latest technologies. By working with ECN, Canadian Solar now has created an opening to achieve a better competitive edge in the PV market. We are excited to be working together because Canadian Solar has the financial strength, global reach and scale needed to move our technology from a laboratory environment to real-world, commercial applications that can help increase the use of environmentally friendly, solar energy systems."
Bram Verschoor, commercial director of Eurotron, said, "We are very eager to make this a successful project. We have collaborated with ECN for several years now and developed the technology to a level that it can be taken out of the research phase. We foresee that this project will be the launch of back-contact module technology into the PV market. We will support Canadian Solar in making this happen."
