Manz AG, a leading high-tech equipment manufacturer, has highlighted its CIGS thin-film fully integrated turnkey production line at the recently concluded 21st International Energy, Environment Fair and Conference (ICCI) 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey.

This follows its participation in a solar summit in the country, where CIGS thin-film technology was agreed upon as best suited to support Turkey’s march to its solar photovoltaic (PV) objectives – as per the new National Renewable Energy Action Plan, a minimum of 3GW of PV projects have to be installed in the nation by 2023, said a statement.

Mohamed Alammawi, Manz’s vice president of sales for the Mena region, who represented the German engineering firm at the event, said: “CIGS thin-film modules are less sensitive to dust and more receptive to longer wavelengths at wider acceptance angles, making them ideal for Turkey’s climate, particularly that of Southern Turkey.

“Add to that the highly attractive incentives set forth by the Turkish government, and Manz’s CIGS thin-film fully integrated turnkey production line presents the best solution.”

Turkey’s feed-in tariff for PV stands at $13.3 per kWh, but the government now offers additional incentives for local production: local involvement can increase the tariff by $6.7 per kWh, to $20 per kWh. Local procurement incentives apply for the first five years of operation of the PV power plants, while preferential rates are guaranteed for 10 years, said the statement.

Incidentally, when using Manz CIGSfab to produce thin-film solar modules locally, the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) falls to under $4, it said.

“The local production of solar energy is perfect for Turkey; it receives more hours of sunlight when compared to its neighbours, and is complemented by a growing economy. In the long run, it is definitely more cost efficient for Turkish solar suppliers to enter into solar module production,” added Alammawi. - TradeArabia News Service