Corning PV substrates enable lighter, more efficient thin-film modules

CORNING, N.Y.--Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) announced today its first commercial order for photovoltaic (PV) glass substrates. This milestone order follows three years of development work and extensive customer engagement, resulting in an engineered glass that enables higher efficiency and lighter weight thin-film photovoltaic modules. The PV glass substrates will ship immediately.

"Corning is committed to offering innovative glass substrates that enable increased solar conversion efficiency. This is just the beginning."

"We understand the current market challenges for photovoltaics and the focus on delivering cost-effective solar energy solutions. Clearly, energy conversion efficiency is integral to addressing these challenges. Therefore, we are very excited about this initial deployment of Corning's PV glass substrates and their ability to deliver on such an important need in the advancement of thin-film PV solutions," said Dr. Gary Calabrese, senior vice president, Corning New Business Development. "The substantial efficiency improvement of our glass technology has been demonstrated in lab and customer trials. Now, this order validates the need for engineered glass to drive higher conversion efficiency and can provide module makers with a competitive advantage."

Corning's PV glass substrates can increase current thin-film module efficiency by 20% to 30%. The glass has high transmission, allowing more sunlight into the semiconductor layer. Corning's substrates are also high-temperature tolerant. Because the glass can withstand higher temperature deposition, more uniform semiconductor films may be applied, which increases overall conversion efficiency.

John Duke, business director for Corning Photovoltaic Glass Technologies, said, "Corning is committed to offering innovative glass substrates that enable increased solar conversion efficiency. This is just the beginning."

Corning's photovoltaic glass substrates are also 50% stronger with less than half the thickness of the glass commonly used today in thin-film PV modules. Corning's photovoltaic glass is being produced at its Harrodsburg, Kentucky plant, where Corning® Gorilla® Glass, a protective cover for high-end display devices, and EAGLE XG® glass, the leading substrate within the display industry, were also developed.

About Corning Incorporated

Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) is the world leader in specialty glass and ceramics. Drawing on more than 160 years of materials science and process engineering knowledge, Corning creates and makes keystone components that enable high-technology systems for consumer electronics, mobile emissions control, telecommunications and life sciences. Our products include glass substrates for LCD televisions, computer monitors and laptops; ceramic substrates and filters for mobile emission control systems; optical fiber, cable, hardware & equipment for telecommunications networks; optical biosensors for drug discovery; and other advanced optics and specialty glass solutions for a number of industries including semiconductor, aerospace, defense, astronomy, and metrology.