No energy transition without MES

15 years ago, Germany was the pioneer in the photovoltaic industry. Mechanical engineering and production for photovoltaics (PV) were at their peak and opened up a new market that was not only dedicated to economic but also ecological goals. Local companies developed the latest technologies to optimize efficiency and production in large quantities. The new demand and the technologically paved path also fueled global competition. With state support and a strategic approach, China achieved a dominant market position in the production of PV cells and modules.

Today's market is characterized by new technologies, while adjustments in the supply chains are fundamentally changing market conditions. In addition to purely cost-optimized PV modules from China, PV modules optimized for efficiency and quality are also finding buyers. In addition, the latest software solutions and the high degree of automation are enabling China's locational advantage to be relativized.

Market growth and targets

The politically enormously accelerated switch from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas to renewable energies and the tense situation in the supply chains from China are enabling a second renaissance of the PV industry in Germany, Europe and the USA. Companies that have survived the rough market of recent years and new start-ups are conquering the global market with highly efficient modules and good prices or are finding customers in special applications.

Global installed PV capacity amounted to around 1 TW in March 2022. The EU alone had already reached a capacity of 170 GW by the end of 2021. (Clean Energy Technology Observatory - executive Summary [European Commission ISSN 1831-9424, Photovoltaics in European Union 2022]). Nevertheless, far more capacity is still needed to achieve the 2°C target set in Paris. Production capacities in Europe and America play a particularly important role here. Europe is planning to expand its PV production capacities to 30 GW by 2025, supported by European Union initiatives such as ESIA (European Solar PV Industry Alliance), REPowerEU and ESMC (European Solar Manufacturing Council). The USA is paving the way for expansion with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will bring the industry USD 370 billion in tax breaks. The US plans to expand production capacity amount to 10 GW by 2025 and a full 50 GW by 2030.

The role of software in the production of new technologies

The production of technologies such as solar cells, electrolysers and batteries requires high precision and control of the production process. Particularly in the area of cell production for PV modules, it is a matter of manufacturing very high quantities with consistent quality. In order to meet these requirements, production relies on MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems). These software solutions make it possible to control and monitor the production process and optimize it on an ongoing basis. Data is recorded in real time - from order release to completion. At the same time, waste is avoided and the consumption of resources is conserved, resulting in a sustainable contribution to the series production of new technologies.

Any improvement in efficiency or increase in production capacity is crucial for market success. As requirements increase, so does the need for specialized MES solutions. Industry-specific MES solutions, such as Fab Eagle MES from Kontron AIS, offer functions such as "virtual single product tracking" to master industry-specific challenges and the rapid scaling of production sites. The functions and modules of an MES specializing in PV are divided into the three pillars of traceability, production control and transparency