Page 33 - Bullion World Issue 10 February 2022_Neat

Bullion World | Issue 10 | February 2022

In the back-side, silver paste
industry, Dupont, Giga Solar,
and Heraeus are the top three
manufacturers. Other key players
in this segment are Daejoo,
Monocrystal, AgPro, Dongjin,
Cermet, Exojet, Wuhan Youleguang,
EGing, Rutech, Xian Chuanglian and
Leed.

Solar energy potential in India
• National Solar Mission,
Key application/uses of silver
launched on 11th January 2010,
paste
targeted the development and
SILVER • Renewable industry- Solar deployment of 20 GW solar
power by 2022. The target
power generation (the silver was later revised on 17/6/2015
STORY paste is screen printed on silica from 20 GW to 100 GW. Based
wafer on the front side).
on land availability and solar
radiation, the potential for
• Automobile industry- again, solar power in the country is
screen printed on the glass to estimated to be around 750 GW.
impart defogging properties.
(typical silver loading 60 – 88% As of 31-08-2020, the total solar
What is by weight). power capacity installed in the

silver paste? • Paints industry: One of country stands at 37,999 MW.[1]

the recent developments is [1]Source: https://mnre.gov.in/the-
Silver paste[1] is a conductive Antimicrobial coatings using ministry/physical-progress
paste formulation that consists silver powder and silver ions.
of silver, glass frit and an organic Recently U.S. EPA regulations in • During the beginning of 2020
medium. Glass frit and organic 40 CFR 152.25 have approved tenders for around 22,839
medium facilitate the adhesion and the use of silver powder for MW were in pipeline for which
application onto the target substrate, manufacturing antimicrobial LoI(Letter of Interest) has been
which is a silica wafer in case of coatings. This regulation will issued but not commissioned
solar cells and glass in case of an help industry players introduce and for around 28,578 MW
automobile. Screen printing is the silver powders into their product tender issued but LoI yet to be
technology used to apply the silver portfolios and provide targeted issued.
paste on the substrate as it is cost- solutions to the construction
effective and can be done on a large and healthcare industry, likely to Status of Domestic Cell and
scale. boost demand for silver powder. Module production

• Domestic solar cell
Silver is the most preferred as it has Silver paste for solar PV modules manufacturing capacity of
(a) the highest electrical conductivity, Silver paste is the second-largest around 3100 MW with about 16
(b) high oxidation resistance (an cost item in a solar PV module after players, most players are having
essential factor as the substrate silicon wafer. At the global level, the a manufacturing capability of
is fired to 600 to 700 degrees PV metallization silver paste market 100 MW. The challenge with
post screen printing and (c) high is estimated at around USD 3.4 manufacturing cells domestically
resistance to acid (important for billion during 2017 is projected to is the vast infrastructure
automobile applications). grow to USD 4.7 billion by 2025. costs. Manufacturing cells is

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