Orkla to Build Polysilicon Manufacturing Plant (Oslo, Norway)

[jpak]

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsEUMA131.htm

Orkla is investing NOK 2.7 billion in a new plant for the production of high-purity silicon for solar cells at Elkem Fiskaa in Kristiansand, Norway. This solar energy project is based on new, environmentally sound process technology and unique research expertise, and will create 140-150 new jobs.

Deliveries of Elkem Solar Silicon® are scheduled to start in mid-2008.

The factory will lay the foundations for the development of a new high technology business area for Orkla with considerable potential for expansion. The plant will be integrated into Elkem Fiskaa's existing silicon plant and will initially manufacture 5,000 tonnes of solar grade silicon per year.

Production will be based on new metallurgical process technology developed by Elkem Solar that the company says is both competitive and environmentally friendly. Elkem has been engaged in research and technological development in the field of solar grade silicon since the early 1980s.

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Norway is rapidly becoming a major player in the polySi PV wafer market...

Høvik, Norway: REC Secures Long Term Wafer Supply Contract from Suntech Power

REC, the world's largest manufacturer of multicrystalline silicon wafers for solar cells, has signed a long-term agreement with Sumitomo Corporation for the supply of wafers to Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. The 5-year agreement, which is structured as a take-or-pay contract with a pre-determined price decrease on an annual basis, has a value of approx. NOK 1.2 billion (USD 180 million).

Delivery of wafers under the new agreement starts from the first quarter 2007. Sumitomo Corporation, with whom REC has had a long standing business relationship, will act as REC's commercial representative towards Suntech.

"This is the fourth long term agreement on wafers that REC has entered into since summer this year. Suntech, which is one of the fastest growing solar cell and module companies in the world, will become a new valuable strategic customer of REC, and this agreement further cements REC's position as the leading manufacturer of multicrystalline silicon wafers and strengthen our platform for further growth", says Erik Thorsen, President & CEO of REC ASA.

Suntech, based in Wuxi outside Shanghai, China, is a leading solar energy company in the world measured by production volume of solar cells. Production capacity is expected to reach 270 MW by the end of 2006. Suntech is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

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Høvik, Norway: REC Secures a NOK 2.7 billion Wafer Contract from BP Solar

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsEUCO323.htm

REC has entered into its third long-term sales agreement on multicrystalline silicon wafers since the summer this year. Under the new agreement with BP Solar, REC will deliver wafers over the next 6 years. The total value of the three announced agreements accumulates to approx. NOK 8 billion.

REC's subsidiary, REC ScanWafer's agreement with BP Solar, which is structured as a take-or-pay contract, has a base value of approx. NOK 2.7 billion.

In addition, BP Solar has an option to purchase additional wafers with a total value of approx. NOK 200 mill during the four last years of the agreement.

"By entering into a long-term supply agreement with a reputable company like BP Solar we continue to build a robust platform for further growth in multicrystalline wafers", says Erik Thorsen, President and CEO of REC ASA.

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Høvik, Norway: REC Signs Wafer Supply Contract with Sharp

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsEUCO314.htm

REC's subsidiary REC ScanWafer, which is the world's largest manufacturer of multicrystalline silicon wafers for solar cell production, has signed a long-term agreement with Sumitomo Corporation for the supply of wafers to Sharp.

The agreement, which is structured as a take-or-pay contract, has a value of approx. NOK 3.1 billion ($470 million) over the next six years. Sumitomo Corporation, with whom REC has had a long standing business relationship in polysilicon and monocrystalline wafers, will act as REC's commercial representative towards Sharp.

'This significant sales agreement is further evidence of REC's strong commitment to growth and we look forward to working together with Sharp to that end. We are also pleased to extend our cooperation with Sumitomo Corporation into multicrystalline wafers', says Erik Thorsen, President and CEO of REC ASA. Sharp is the world's leading manufacturer of solar cells and modules.

"As the leading manufacturer of multicrystalline silicon wafers we are very proud to be associated with the world's unrivaled no.1 in solar cell manufacturing. We are convinced that our cooperation with Sharp will stimulate product development and further improve our competitive position," says John Andersen, Jr., Executive Vice President Wafers of REC ASA.

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Oslo, Norway: REC Increases Polysilicon Production

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsEUMA126.htm

Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) has decided to invest $50 million to further increase polysilicon production by close to 20% through de-bottlenecking, at one of the existing plants.

REC has today decided to significantly increase the production capacity through de-bottlenecking at the existing plant in Butte, Montana, USA. Total project investments will amount to approximately $50 million. The project consists of both adding silane gas production capacity and modifying nearly 1/3 of the Siemens reactors installed at the plant.

"This will unlock significantly more of the potential of the Butte facility both in terms of production capacity and production cost, the plant that was taken over from Komatsu in August 2005", says Erik Thorsen, President and CEO of REC ASA.

Polysilicon is made by converting silane gas, from the first production step, into a solid metal through Siemens reactors. From Q1 of 2008, the de-bottlenecking project is expected to increase silane gas production by around 2,000 MT and polysilicon production by approximately 1,000 MT. Around one third of the new silane gas produced will be sold as gas to the electronics-, thin film transistor-, liquid crystal displays and photovoltaic markets. By increasing throughput and reducing the cycle-time in the Siemens reactors, total cost per kilogram produced at the Butte plant can be reduced by nearly 20%.

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