Member - AM0SolEC GmbH

Executive Summary: Apart the fact that using renewable energy sources is a compelling option for considerable financial bargain, its aim is also to contribute to climate protection on earth. By developing higher efficient thin film based PV modules than currently available at the market AM0SolEC enables customer - using this type of PV modules - to obtain a significantly higher yield in terms of generated power per surface unit. The at least sometimes limited access to suitable areas for PV plants imposes to utility providers and EPC companies in the field of renewable energies who offer development, installation as well as operation of such facilities a huge challenge. Further on, a fully independent power supply for SME and private customers is currently out of scope. This limitation is due to quite low efficiency and in its best case an independent electric power supply for the latter ones is possible, but no autarky in terms of heat supply. Solar cells do use the irradiated light to convert this energy into either electrical or heat power. Hereby, an energy conversion loss is inevitable. The maximum efficiency for best in class PV modules is about 23%. AM0SolEC has developed an innovative texture for thin film based PV modules through which is claimed that those PV modules may have up to 27% efficiency. Due to some other inherent properties of thin films, the overall efficiency leads to a value of up to 30% efficiency. Therefore, by keeping the same surface in comparison to current state of the art PV modules, a substantial higher power output can be obtained. In addition, manufacturing cost per so called Wp unit are slightly lower compared with most of the currently used PV manufacturing technologies. A registration for patentability is on its way. Finally, the IP behind that texture represents a technological platform usable for (e.g.) Li+ batteries with higher power density, heat sinks for electronic power devices and sensors with improved sensing capabilities. With its offer AM0SolEC addresses the needs of aforementioned project developers and power providers in Europe and elsewhere too. The overall yearly PV market potential is estimated to be around 11bn €. Due to their higher efficiency, the demand for crystalline PV modules compared to conventional thin film based PV modules is by far higher. The current market share of thin film based PV modules is roughly 0,8bn €. Through selling thin film based PV modules relying on that innovative texture, AM0SolEC mid term target is to obtain min. a 6% market share for thin film based PV modules or in other words min. 41Mio € net sales per year. In cooperation with dedicated industry-oriented research institutions, AM0SolEC will develop a prototype which will be ready by then to be transferred into volume production of a small turn-key unit for manufacturing thin film based PV modules based on mass production proven processes. In offering those thin film based PV modules, first net sales shall be generated from 2022 onwards. On a long term, AM0SolEC will be recognized as a solution provider for the use of renewable power supply systems. The market entry shall be mainly achieved in direct negotiations with B2B prospects like project developers, gross sellers and architects. Through a sophisticated PR strategy, fair booths and lobbying, awareness shall be generated among market players such as suppliers, customers and partners. Tying sustainable contacts will be the base for entry into other European markets as well as the US market. The competitor landscape of AM0SolEC is composed of key players offering crystalline PV modules like Yingli Green Energy, Sharp or Canadian Solar. Regarding a thin film based PV module, fierce competition is expected to come from companies like First Solar or Solar Frontier. Benny Schwalbe being the initiator of that endeavour has a sound theoretical background in semiconductor technology & Microsystems underpinned by more than 22 years experience in that field. The head quarter of AM0SolEC will be located in Erfurt / Thuringia, a region with good infrastructure and competitive pay roll expenses. Seed financing needs for prototype development are estimated to sum up to almost 1,8Mio €. Further on, hook up of a small turnkey manufacturing line for those innovative thin film based PV modules will globally require another 6Mio € in venture capital funding. The break even shall be achieved at 5Mio € net sales threshold in 2024. It is expected that net sales will be min. 15Mio € by 2025.