Green Challenge: Building Fast-Track Fab Facilities to Support Clean-Tech Production

Silicon Valley has been the home of innovative technologies for more than half a century. So it’s not surprising that today this is where the burgeoning solar energy industry is seeking—and finding—the entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and practical solutions to meet its diverse and increasingly important challenges.

Impact

It is widely acknowledged that solar energy production will play a critical role in reducing U.S. dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oil. Grid-connected solar power is already the fastest growing energy technology in the world, growing at an average rate of 40 percent per year. In California alone, utility companies are required to use renewable energy to produce 20 percent of their power by 2010 and 33 percent by 2020. A primary source of this renewable power will be solar energy, as the California Solar Initiative’s goal is to produce 3000 megawatts of new solar energy by 2016.

This extraordinary demand in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving marketplace brings with it tremendous pressure to quickly develop and bring to market solar products that can boost performance while also reducing costs. One of the most promising technologies now available to help meet these challenges is thin film solar, named by Time magazine as one of the 50 best inventions of 2008. But how do you leverage advanced solar technology while gaining a competitive advantage? One of the most important factors is the ability to bring state-of-the-art fabrication facilities on line quickly and affordably.

Solution

Building for this rapidly evolving industry poses unique challenges. Having recently completed three large-scale sites for two different thin film panel manufacturers, OptiSolar and Miasole, XL Construction has refined a process for delivering fast-track construction while accommodating continually changing needs. This process was developed over many years of working with advanced technology companies. In defining what has made these projects a success, XL’s clients agreed that the most important factors include:

  • Experienced Project Teams: XL’s expert in-house team and committed subcontractors work together seamlessly. As Steve Toy of OptiSolar stated, “XL’s greatest success was their staffing capability. They were always able to stay ahead of what we called a ‘fluid’ construction process, with requirements changing on a daily basis in an industry that really has no standards.”
  • Preplanning: Projects stay on track only through careful preplanning and continual updates. For example, the XL Team at Miasole first developed an equipment matrix, defining each item and its utility requirements. This matrix was updated and checked throughout construction to assure that nothing was overlooked. Preplanning also enabled customized production equipment to be delivered, installed and tested during the build-out, enabling Miasole to be up and running for production shortly after its site construction was complete.

Young companies typically must focus on their core business and do not have additional resources to manage the construction process. XL’s experienced, dedicated teams serve as an extension of the client organization, knowing when and how to implement critical strategies, such as holding daily meetings rather than the typical weekly construction meeting, to assure that manufacturing equipment is functioning and the production line is up and running on schedule.

In addition, XL has helped to define and address some of the most challenging issues for solar power industry manufacturers:

  • Maintaining Production: When upgrading existing facilities, solar manufacturers need to maintain product production during fab construction, as was the case with the facility XL recently completed for OptiSolar in Hayward, CA.
  • Fast-Track Construction Schedule: Each day that the manufacturing facility is under construction is a day that could otherwise be used for product production. Because technology is often under development during site construction, the construction team must be nimble enough to accommodate changes throughout the fab construction process.
  • Rigorous Technical Requirements: The specialized requirements for thin film tooling, process equipment, utilities and a dust-free production environment demand the meticulous integration of all building systems.

The solar industry is actively working to provide a viable alternative to fossil fuels. For example, XL’s client, Miasole, has stated that its goal is “to enable grid parity solar energy by 2012 through high-volume manufacturing of low-cost solar modules.” As solar manufacturers continue to develop efficient products, XL Construction will deliver the needed manufacturing facilities, working with their clients to “build to improve lives.”

For more information on solar energy and initiatives, contact Alan Laurlund, LEED AP at XL Construction, phone 408.240.6000 and check out the following links:

http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/energy/million-solar-roofs/fact-sheet2
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/category/manufacturing/
http://www.energy.ca.gov/siting/solar/index.html
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854153,00.html