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Robert Bosch Expands Energy Business With Solar-Panel Takeovers

Robert Bosch GmbH, the world’s biggest car-parts maker, offered to buy two German solar-module producers to expand its alternative energy business. (…) “This will give Bosch the complete product chain,” Andreas Kempf, a Bosch spokesman, said in a telephone interview today. The acquisition of Johanna Solar will bring additional thin-cell technology, he said. (…) Thin-film solar cells use less material and energy in production and are considered the next generation after cells make of crystalline silicon.

Bosch takes over two photovoltaics companies

Automotive and industrial electronics giant Bosch group (Stuttgart, Germany) is broadening its photovoltaics activities by the acquisiton of two companies involved module manufacturing including CIGS thin-film modules. Bosch has bought a minority position of almost 40 percent of Aleo Solar AG's shares (…) At the same time Bosch also announced that it has taken over more than 60 percent of Johanna Solar AG (Brandenburg, Germany). Bosch already holds the majority of solar cell manufacturer Ersol AG (Erfurt, Germany). A company spokesperson explained the two companies acquired now are active in different places of the value chain than Ersol: While Ersol produces silicon-based solar cells and thin-film solar cells based on silicon, Johanna complements these activities by manufacturing CIGS-based cells. Aleo is active further down the value chain in that it assembles the solar cells into modules. "Thus, we cover the entire value chain from ingots to modules", a Bosch spokesperson said.

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