E-Book Wirtschaftsjournal November 2011

VI
SOLAR.MITTELDEUTSCHLAND
Progress through collaboration
The Solar Valley cluster strengthens the central-German solar industry and guarantees international leadership
Wirtschaftsjournal: Dr. Frey, what sets the Solarvalley
Mitteldeutschland Cluster of Excellence apart
from other clusters?
Dr. Peter Frey: First of all, our network brings together
the solar industry in the three federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt
and Thuringia. This is significant because all steps
of the value chain - from silicon manufacture to the integration
of finished modules into buildings - take place in
Solar Valley. We have developed a coordinated technology
program, which we have been implementing together for
2 years. Within this context, companies, research institutes
and universities are pursuing the goal of reducing production
costs at each stage in the value chain and increasing
the efficiency of the overall system. In addition, we are developing
new applications for solar systems, such as direct
integration into the building shell or as stand-alone power
systems by means of combination with energy storage and
smart grid technology. We also have an educational concept
that is standardised across the states and we strive to
orient ourselves internationally. It was for this reason that
regional offices were established in Dresden, Erfurt and
Halle. With this approach to innovation we are securing a
position of technological excellence within the international
market for the region of Central Germany. The goal of
the cluster for the next ten years is to create 30,000 jobs
in the Central-German solar industry and to establish solar
power as an indispensable component within the overall
energy mix. We are on the right path to achieving this.
WJ: Nevertheless, the sector recently made headlines
for the wrong reasons with losses in the millions
- as in the case of Q-Cells, which was one of
the top ten companies in the worldwide market. Is
the Central-German photovoltaic stronghold now
under threat?
Dr. Frey: No. The industry is facing up to the challenges;
the situation in Central Germany as a whole is stable. What
we have experienced in recent weeks is more to do with
price trends in the PV market. Once the Renewable Energy
Law had been approved in Germany in 2003, the PV sector
flourished rapidly. Installed capacity in Germany more
than quadrupled from 2007 to 2010 alone. However, along
with this, the market price halved. This is also linked to the
strong competitive pressure from manufacturers in Asia,
and particularly in China. Here production is taking place
in enormous factories using very good equipment - prefer-
Wirtschaftsjournal | Special SOLAR 2011
Dr. Peter Frey Ende September in Erfurt auf der Veranstaltung „Photovoltaik trifft Maschinen- und
Anlagenbau“.
Dr. Peter Frey at the "Photovoltaics meets Machine and Systems Construction" event in Erfurt at the end
of September. Foto: SolarInput e. V.
ably from German machinery manufacturers. At present the
market is shedding this overcapacity, which is also having
a negative effect on turnover for some companies in Germany.
However, there exist many companies that have invested
successfully, such as Schott Solar, Masdar PV, pv crystalox
solar and Bosch Solar Energy. The financial problems
of individual manufacturers must not be viewed as applying
to all.
WJ: If you are saying that market prices have fallen,
surely grid parity must be fairly imminent, is
this so?
Dr. Frey: Yes, absolutely. This is the upside of this stormy
market trend. Photovoltaics have found their place in the
renewable energy mix far sooner than even inside experts
had expected. When the cluster was founded, we expected
solar electricity to be cheaper than the grid by 2015. Based
on the current trends, we will reach this target as early as
by the coming year. If the trend continues, in two years'
time solar electricity could be cheaper than even offshore
wind energy.
WJ: And how will the cluster and/or solar industry
achieve this goal?
Dr. Frey: First of all, manufacturers must reduce costs. We
Central Germany has become
established as a centre for the
photovoltaic industry within the
global market. In order to secure
and further develop this position,
photovoltaic companies, research
and teaching institutions from
three German states have forged
a strong network in the form of
the Solarvalley Mitteldeutschland
Cluster of Excellence. In an interview
with Wirtschaftsjournal,
Dr. Peter Frey, CEO of Solar Valley
GmbH, explains the background,
objectives and potential of the
cluster.
�