Mumbai: Moser Baer Photo Voltaic Ltd (MBPV), wholly owned subsidiary of optical storage device maker Moser Baer India, has successfully completed final line integration and trials on its initial 40 MW crystalline photovoltaic cell production facility.

MBPV, which had recently tied up with Germany's Deutsche Solar for sourcing silicon wafers, said it is on target to achieve 80MW of capacity in the second half of 2007.

"We are delighted to commence trial run on the state-of- art and first of its kind fully integrated in-line cell manufacturing facility. It provides inherent flexibility to use 5 and 6 inch wafers in both mono and multi-crystalline formats," Ravi Khanna CEO, MBPV, said in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

The tie-up with Deutsche Solar ensured that the company received over 50 per cent of its requirements.

The company said it would rapidly increase deployment of thinner wafers and set industry benchmarks in production efficiencies in line with its strategy to emerge as one of the leading companies in the photovoltaic space.

MBPV plans to straddle multiple future technologies and emerge as an engineering and technology driven company. The company is decisively responding to the rapidly expanding solar PV market, where worldwide demand far outstrips supply.

The global photovoltaic market is on a high growth curve - sales expected to grow over six times to $ 40 billion by 2010, the company said.

MBPV said it is moving towards technological leadership in this high growth industry and developing a sustainable competitive edge by investing into disruptive technologies.

Meanwhile, Moser Baer, which recently entered the entertainment sector, has tied up with digital cinema chain Pyramid Saimira Theatre for tap the potentially large home video market.

It plans to sell DVDs for Rs34 apiece and video CDs at Rs28. Moser Baer plans to release home videos usually after four to six weeks of theatre release, and they will be sold through both own outlets and franchisees. The two companies plan to share profits.

The tie-up will help Moser Baer release home videos of movies shown in Pyramid cinema halls, which in turn, would serve as additional points of sale.

Pyaramid has around 256 screens in Tamil Nadu and plans to release 100 films in southern India. Pyramid also plans to set up a content fund for $25 million and would raise $150 million in India and overseas to fund movies for the local market.