Meyer Burger has entered into a binding supply agreement with Norwegian Crystals for silicon wafers. The wafers are made from polysilicon of European and American origin. Due to Meyer Burger’s proprietary heterojunction/SmartWire technology used in solar cell and solar module production, the wafers can be thinner than those used in mainstream products.
Due to the primary energy used to produce the silicon monocrystals and polysilicon (e.g. hydroelectric power from Norway), the European wafers have a particularly low carbon footprint and Meyer Burger’s solar modules now aim to set a new benchmark. The parties are in ongoing discussions about an expansion of the wafer supplies for the coming years and along Meyer Burger’s planned growth.
“With the delivery of first quantities of wafers from European production, Meyer Burger closes the last gap in the strategic re-establishment of a European supply chain for the production of solar cells and solar modules,” says Daniel Menzel, COO at Meyer Burger. “Nevertheless, Meyer Burger will continue to balance the benefits of global supply chains, but with clear and unambiguous requirements for social, ecological and economic sustainability.”
Meyer Burger has been focusing on re-establishing resilient supply chain since 2020’s strategy shift. As part of its global multisourcing strategy, Meyer Burger sources key components like solar glass, foils and cell connectors. The company also sources chemicals and process gasses used in solar cell and solar module manufacturing. The company monitors the strategic independence and adjusts its supply chains so that there are no unintended dependencies that could affect the company’s ongoing production and planned expansion.