Calyxo
Founded in 2005, Calyxo GmbH / Calyxo Solar is a pioneer in the production of cadmium telluride based thin film solar modules. Since 2007, Calyxo has been part of the US company Solar Fields, which continues to develop this technology and holds the worldwide exclusive license for this highly innovative coating technology.
From the Calyxo pilot line in the Solar Valley Bitterfeld-Wolfen with a production capacity of 8 MWp in 2008 25 MWp and at the end of 2012 with the second industrial production line 85 MWp. Following the closure of the First Solar site in Frankfurt (Oder), Calyxo GmbH is the only significant manufacturer of modules for cadmium telluride technology in Europe
Calyxo Solar's thin-film modules are innovative, environmentally friendly and cost-effective at the same time. In 2012, the solar experts in Wolfen achieved a cell efficiency of 16.2%. This is an absolute record in CdTe technology.
The value was confirmed by the test center SGS Germany. Calyxo Solar is driving forward the development in order to maximize the positive properties of thin-film modules, especially in hot and humid climatic conditions. After all, the markets of the future are outside of Europe. With their high reliability, the thin-film modules are of course also a guarantee for good yields in Germany.
At the same time, published data show that the unique lamination technique used in Calyxo products not only increases resistance and stability. In the medium term, Calyxo expects that this will also reduce production costs below $ 0.50 per watt peak. In that case, Calyxo GmbH would probably be able to produce at the lowest cost worldwide - and with consistent adherence to the production location Germany. With these low production costs, PV systems provide their operators with a kilowatt-hour of solar power below 10 US cents.
From an ecological point of view, CdTE production is also extremely beneficial. Because the use of cadmium telluride eliminates the time-consuming disposal of the raw material, which also occurs only as a waste product in the mining industry. In the CdTe technology, cadmium is refined with tellurium to a semiconductor that does not dissolve in water. Instead of polluting the environment, the element then reliably produces solar power in the closed modules of Calyxo Solar for decades. One cubic meter of cadmium telluride results in 330,000 Calyxo solar modules, which produce 520 GWh of solar power during their product life cycle.
For this power would be needed 80,000 cubic meters of natural gas.
As a member of the European PV-CYCLE network, Calyxo Solar ensures that returns and recycling work smoothly. The customers do not incur any costs or payment obligations.
The thin-film solar modules from Calyxo Solar are easy to install and refinance in no time. The manufacturing process takes place with the lowest energy input and the best CO2 balance in relation to comparable products in the solar industry. The offer of Calyxo can be used by all customers. From small PV systems on single-family homes to megawatt installations for electricity suppliers, the modules master every requirement. The Calyxo GmbH also offers the complete range of services in planning during installation and in after sales service.
