Since the ground-breaking ceremony in September 07, the construction of PV Crystalox
Solar’s production facility for solar-grade silicon remains on track for completion
by the end of 2008. The facility is expected to produce 900 MT in 2009, rising to
1,800 MT thereafter.
Ground Breaking Ceremony (Sept 07)
The site will allow the Group to source solar-grade
silicon at favourable rates allowing it to further expand its international business
profitably. “If the market develops according to expectations, we would be able
to further increase the capacity,” said PV Crystalox Solar Executive Director, German Operations
Dr. Hubert A. Aulich.
The facility is being built in the Bitterfeld Chemical
Park in Germany, which is one of the largest chemical production sites in Europe.
PV Crystalox Solar will employ a modified version of the well established Siemens-process,
which has been optimised for solar applications. The process allows high purity
silicon to be produced that meets the company’s specifications for its in-house
multicrystalline wafer technology.
Evonik Degussa GmbH, Duesseldorf, the largest chlorosilane
producer in the world, will supply PV Crystalox Solar with the high purity raw material
Siridion® Chlorosilane in a fence to fence operation. The company has signed a ten
year contract with Degussa for the delivery of chlorosilanes.
Construction of the Bitterfeld site
The state of Sachsen-Anhalt, the German Federal
Government and the European Union have provided grants of approximately €21 million
for the construction of the facility. The plant is expected to create around 100
new jobs and will be one of the first industrial production sites in Europe dedicated
exclusively to providing high purity silicon for solar electricity.
