SAN JOSE, USA: SVTC Technologies, the independent semiconductor process-development foundry, announced that its SVTC Solar business unit has launched the Silicon Valley
Photovoltaic Development Center. The center will provide the burgeoning solar industry with the infrastructure – including development equipment, support and engineering services – required to create and commercialize innovative solar energy products.
Agreements have been signed with leading photovoltaic (PV) industry suppliers to provide key services through the Silicon Valley Photovoltaic Development Center, and the center has accepted its first solar manufacturing customers. Corporate investment so far is estimated at $20 million to $30 million.
In addition, the San Jose Redevelopment Agency has invested in the new PV development center, which it sees as an important element in the city of San Jose's Green Vision initiatives.
"SVTC Technologies has seen a surge in demand for a facility devoted exclusively to the solar industry, which is why we have established the Silicon Valley Photovoltaic Development Center," said Kurt Laetz, SVTC Solar program manager.
"We want to serve the solar manufacturers already here and attract new ones, helping to establish Silicon Valley as North America's premier environment for solar innovation. By tapping into the enormous talent, creative energy and financial support focused in this region, we intend to do for solar energy what Silicon Valley has done for other high-tech industries," he added.
The Silicon Valley Photovoltaic Development Center is located in an 87,000 square foot facility in South San Jose, Calif. – in the heart of iconic Silicon Valley, and part of a growing solar "cluster" in the Edenvale Redevelopment Project Area. The center will provide shared access to PV equipment and services, spanning the development and manufacture of solar cells and solar panels, as well as reliability, testing and certification services.
As a result, the center will allow solar manufacturers to develop, test and certify their solar products and begin pilot production, while lowering customers' development costs and accelerating time to market and time to revenue.
