To help achieve this aim, specialized module assembly equipment will be developed and manufactured in co-operation with Eurotron, a manufacturer and supplier of handling equipment for module assembly in the Netherlands.

Specifically, ECN will help Canadian Solar apply technology for metal wrap-through (MWT) cells to the company’s production lines.

MWT cells eliminate the need for front side bus-bars and therefore increase effective surface and the conversion efficiency of a solar cell.

A more advanced version of this technology, emitter wrap-through (EWT) structures, can further eliminate the front surface grid and therefore further increase the cell conversion efficiency.

Both of these wrap-through technologies also increase module conversion efficiency by enabling back-side interconnection technology in module production.

Canadian Solar officials believe higher conversion efficiency cells will allow it to produce more powerful solar modules, while potentially reducing manufacturing costs. The transfer of MWT cell technology is expected to take approximately 6 months.

The agreement with ECN is part of Canadian Solar's high-efficiency research program. In the fourth quarter of 2009, the Company expects to begin commercially introducing a new cell structure which combines a modified selective emitter process and, better texturization, precise state-of-art screen printing and several other improvements.

The new structure is expected to raise the conversion efficiency of monocrystalline cells to 18.5% and multicrystalline cells with an estimated 16.8% conversion efficiency.

“As a strong and independent research institute, ECN gives their partners a perfect opportunity to apply the latest technologies,” says Ton Hoff, board chairman of ECN. “By working with ECN, Canadian Solar now has created an opening to achieve a better competitive edge in the PV market.”

Adds Bram Verschoor, commercial director of Eurotron: “We are very eager to make this a successful project. We have collaborated with ECN for several years now and developed the technology to a level that it can be taken out of the research phase.”

Canadian Solar is a vertically integrated provider of ingot, wafer, solar cell, solar module and other solar applications. It is based in Kitchener, Ontario, southwest of Toronto.