1366 Technologies to ramp first direct wafer factory in Malaysia

U.S.-based start-up 1366 Technologies is “near completion” of its first factory for wafers directly formed from molten silicon and expects to ramp it “no later than Q3 2019,” the company has announced in a press release.

The factory is located next to the cell and module production facilities of 1366’s long-standing collaboration partner Hanwha Q Cells in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, and will directly supply Hanwha’s production lines.

1366 did not provide any information on the production capacity of the new factory, but only speculated about “the cornerstone for a multi-GW-scale production facility – provided that the initial footprint meets key performance criteria.” In 2018 the company cancelled a 250 MW factory in upstate New York.

In response to the rapid wafer price decline, 1366 is accelerating the development of its 3D wafer, a 100 to 120 µm thin wafer with thicker borders to limit breakage. With the 3D wafer, the company is targeting a silicon consumption of less than 1.5 grams per watt and production costs of less than $0.20 per wafer (approx. $0.04/W at a cell efficiency of 20%).