TSMC Solar Europe GmbH
TSMC Solar is your reliable partner for high-performance modules. High-efficiency CIGS thin-film modules for worldwide markets and premium crystalline silicon modules for European markets. Get to know us and understand our heritage. TSMC Solar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Inc. the acknowledged semiconductor dedicated foundry segment leader. TSMC Solar is headquartered in Taichung, Taiwan, with regional sales offices in Hamburg, Germany, San Jose, CA and Boston, MA.
Company details
Find locations served, office locations
- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Solar Energy
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
About Us
TSMC Solar – who we are
Whether you’re a distributor, installer, integrator or investor, if you aspire to long-term profitable growth in the solar-energy industry, you need a professional partner that understands your requirements and can be there when you need them with the right high-quality products and with exemplary customer service – today and in the future.
TSMC Solar is that partner. A partner that values our customers’ success, manufactures high-performance solar modules today and continuously works at driving advanced module technology forward.
As a wholly owned subsidiary of TSMC, the world’s first and largest semiconductor foundry, we possess the technical expertise, professionalism, financial support and customer service orientation required to address the growing demands of the solar-energy industry in a new way: reliable customer service combined with quality, high-performance modules. High-efficiency CIGS thin-film modules with an excellent price-performance ratio produced in our new factory in Taiwan starting from Q2 2012 and premium-quality crystalline silicon solar modules made in Germany, available now for European markets.
Just as TSMC has for 25 years now, TSMC Solar now also stands for outstanding customer service as well as advanced technology products that set new standards.
TSMC Solar – progress based on a solid found...
TSMC Solar – progress based on a solid foundation
As a pioneer in the semiconductor industry’s foundry sector, TSMC doesn’t just stand out due to its technology leadership and high level of manufacturing expertise, but also because of its close customer partnerships. We fulfil the trust placed in us and build on it through continuous improvement of our technology and products.
We realise our ambitious mission with forward-looking products that make many aspects of technological progress in our society possible. Particularly in the areas of communication, networks and entertainment technology, our achievements have paved the way for our customers’ product advancements.
We dedicate our technological capability, more than 25 years of manufacturing experience and our focus on continuous improvement to accomplish our mission. That is to become a leading, reliable provider of high-performance modules to our customers.
Our modules are made according to the same uncompromising principles as our renowned semiconductor chips that are used around the world. The result is highly efficient modules that hold their own in any comparison. We founded TSMC Solar with the aim of becoming one of the largest and, simultaneously, the most respected and reliable providers of solar modules. So we’re heading in the right direction – together with you.
Integrity
Integrity
Integrity is our most basic and most important value. We tell the truth. We believe that the record of our accomplishments is the best proof of our merit.
We do not make commitments lightly. We make decisions and take action based on facts and analysis. Once we make a commitment, we devote ourselves completely to meeting it. Transparency and fairness are paramount – both externally and internally.
We compete to our fullest within the law, but we do not slander our competitors and we respect the intellectual property rights of others. With vendors, we maintain an objective, consistent and impartial attitude. When selecting new employees, we place emphasis on both the candidates’ qualifications and character.
The best confirmation of this uncompromising attitude is the trust that many of the world’s most successful technology companies place in us – as they have for over 25 years.
Professionalism
We’re committed to our customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders and society in general. They all contribute to our success and we’ve taken their concerns and interests into account. We hope all these groups do the same for us.
We consider professionalism to mean driving advanced technology and product quality with sustainable cost reductions and continuously working to improve our products and services – both in the semiconductor business and the solar industry. Our experience, combined with the expertise of our partners, ensures the outstanding quality of our products.
Progress
Innovation is the source of our growth and it’s a part of all the aspects of our business, from strategic planning, marketing and management right through to technology and manufacturing. It’s only by concretely implementing our ideas practically that we feel we achieve progress.
Our ambition to drive progress in the solar industry with products that continue to become more efficient and economical means that we’ve got no time to rest on our laurels. Continuously optimising photovoltaic systems is at the centre of our endeavours. In doing so, we consider our modules a part of complete systems, with the aim of giving our customers greater success and making solar energy the source of choice. In the end, there are three winners – a satisfied customer, a prosperous company and a greener environment.
Partnership-focused thinking
At TSMC, customers come first. Since our foundation, we’ve treated our customers as partners and never entered into competition with them. This close partnership is key to our long-term success and our further growth – together with our customers.
We learn from our customers because we pay attention to them and satisfy their individual requirements. Our company thrives on our customers’ inspiration. We’re convinced that only real trust can lead to the best result for both parties.
We want to grow together with you through mutual understanding and sharing information. We’re convinced that it’s exactly this win-win attitude that will provide the inspiration to drive progress in the solar industry for some time to come.
TSMC Solar – where we come from
TSMC Solar – where we come from
TSMC Solar’s parent company is TSMC, the world’s first and largest semiconductor foundry. Through its pioneering business model – ultramodern production of integrated circuits (ICs) as a service for our customers – TSMC has fundamentally changed the chip industry. TSMC, headquartered in Taiwan, produces over 8,000 products for the more than 450 customers it serves per year. This represents almost 8% of the global production volume for IC wafers. For the first time since its foundation, TSMC began expanding in new areas of business in 2009 – with a focus on photovoltaics as one of its two new business segments with LED lighting being the other. 2010 saw the founding of regional headquarters for the solar business in Europe and in North America through TSMC Solar Europe GmbH in Hamburg, Germany, and TSMC Solar North America in San Jose, CA, USA, respectively.
A brief history of TSMC’s success:
- 1987 – TSMC is founded by Philips Electronics and the Taiwanese government
- 1994 – TSMC is listed on the stock market (NYSE: TSM, TSE:2330)
- 2010 – $13.9 bn turnover, shares worth $56 bn on the stock exchange (May 2011)
- 2010 – $5.6 bn capital invested from company’s cash flow
- 2011 – 33,000 employees, chip production in Taiwan, USA, Singapore (JV), China
- 2011 – Solar regional offices founded in Hamburg, Germany, and San Jose, CA, USA
For more detailed information about TSMC, see www.tsmc.com.
An overview of how TSMC Solar was created:
May 2009 – New Business segment founded, launching our solar business
February 2010 – Acquired a 20% share of the capital of Motech Industries, the largest manufacturer of crystalline silicon solar cells in Taiwan
June 2010 – Acquired 21% share of Stion Corporation, a manufacturer of CIGS solar modules in the USA, including technology, licensing, supply and development agreements
December 2010 – TSMC Solar Europe GmbH is founded as the headquarters for the European solar-energy business and TSMC Solar North America established to serve this role in North America
January 2011 – TSMC enters into a manufacturing partnership with Centrosolar Group AG, one of the leading manufacturers of crystalline silicon solar modules in Germany
April 2011 – Completion of our CIGS thin-film module factory in Taichung, Taiwan
September 2011 – Completion of tool move-in at CIGS thin-film module factory
Which types of solar module exist?
Which types of solar module exist?
There are basically two different types of solar modules that are used to generate energy commercially – crystalline solar modules built from silicon solar cells, and thin-film modules made of one of several different semiconductor materials. Today, industry production still revolves around crystalline silicon solar modules with a market share of approximately 80%. Recent gains have been made by thin-film module technologies that now hold a 20% market share.
How is solar energy generated and what is the photovoltaic effect?
The photovoltaic effect refers to the direct conversion of the energy contained in sunlight into electrical power using solar modules built with either solar technology – crystalline solar cells/modules or thin-film semiconducting materials.
These solar modules convert sunlight into electrical energy – initially into a direct current. Before it’s transported to the electrical power grid or used in the home, this direct current must be converted into the alternating current used there. This task is done by an inverter, which converts the current (direct) generated by the solar panel in a low-loss way regardless of the strength of the sunlight and feeds it into the grid or the home’s electrical system.
Both solar modules and inverters are sophisticated technological products, which have been in use for decades in countless systems, and using them successfully requires no technical experience or specialist knowledge whatsoever.