When First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR ) announced the acquisition of TetraSun yesterday
it really announced a fundamental shift in the company's strategy. It
isn't giving up on thin film, not yet, but it is laying the groundwork
for a future without its familiar CdTe panels.
TetraSun is an investment in crystalline silicon solar cells that First
Solar has been fighting against for over a decade. Silicon has won the
battle, and now even First Solar will join the crowd.
The claims of TetraSun
First Solar says it is buying technology that will allow it to make panels that are more efficient and cheaper than competitors. So, is that claim really true? There are a lot of unknowns.
The press release from First Solar claims that TetraSun can make 21% efficient cells at costs similar to those of conventional multicrystalline silicon solar cells. If we use Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL ) as the proxy, that means manufacturing costs of about $0.64 per watt.
The claims of TetraSun
First Solar says it is buying technology that will allow it to make panels that are more efficient and cheaper than competitors. So, is that claim really true? There are a lot of unknowns.
The press release from First Solar claims that TetraSun can make 21% efficient cells at costs similar to those of conventional multicrystalline silicon solar cells. If we use Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL ) as the proxy, that means manufacturing costs of about $0.64 per watt.
The challenge is that Tet…
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