SolarFromChina

Green Energy Technology Inc. (GET), the largest solar-panel crystal-growing manufacturer in Taiwan, reportedly plans to set up a plant in China, making it the first Taiwan-based company there, according to local Chinese-language economic daily newspaper Economic Daily News (EDN).

EDN said that GET might choose among Liaoning, Shandong, Shanghai to construct its new plant.

Industry insiders pointed out that GET is already an OEM supplier for Suntech Power, the largest solar-cell maker in China, with the plant-building expected to further expand the partnership between the two parties.

Suntech, GET's major customer, expects to ship solar-cell panels with total capacity of 530 MW this year, is currently the largest solar-cell maker in the Great China region with annual revenue of US$1.9 billion to US$2.1 billion.

As exports of poly-silicon products are levied 17% in value-added tax, the insider said, GET's new plant in China could enable material supply directly from Suntech at lower cost to achieve higher margins.

Solar power is one the focal-points in the Chinese central government's 11th five-year economic development plan, suggesting promise in the huge market.

Other Taiwan-based solar-cell-related companies have also set up business in China by establishing production facilities or through re-investments, including Motech Industrial Inc., PanJit International, Wafer Works Corp. etc.

GET, however, will be the first Taiwan-based solar-cell producer in China. Currently GET is the largest solar-cell crystal-growing maker in Taiwan with a maximum annual capacity of 400 MW (megawatt), while the company is actively stepping into thin-film type solar-panel segment with a new product line to be inaugurated in the fourth quarter this year.

 

The 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China will be using solar energy to heat the shower water in the Olympic village. This state of the art solar power energy system will provide hot showers for over 10,000 athletes, showing that alternative energy can be a powerful force when harnessed properly.

This solar system, which is to be installed later next year, was donated by the Italian government to the Beijing 2008 Olympics. The Beijing Olympics organizers have committed themselves to making the 2008 games to be environmentally friendly in a multitude of ways. This seems to be a new trend that is emerging in the worldwide sports community. The World Cup proved that alternative energy can go a long way to help reduce our impact on the environment.

 

Wuxi, China: Suntech Signs 7 Gigawatt Wafer Agreement

Suntech Power has signed a definitive thirteen-year silicon wafer supply agreement with a subsidiary of Shunda Holdings Co. Ltd. Under the terms of the supply agreement, Shunda will supply Suntech specified annual volumes of silicon wafers with a total volume of approximately 7GW from 2008 to 2020.

Suntech Power also acquired a minority stake in Shunda Holdings Co. Ltd, from Actis, a leading private equity investor in emerging markets, and Waichun Investment Fund, for a total consideration of $98.9 million.

Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech’s Chairman and CEO, said: “This strategic investment and long term supply agreement will be instrumental in the profitable and rapid growth of both Suntech and Shunda. This is another example of how we can leverage funds raised through our recent convertible notes offering to pursue strategic investments and high volume contracts that strengthen the long term cost structure of our business model. We believe that these transactions accelerate Suntech’s path to grid parity and significantly enhance Suntech’s long term cost competitiveness through better pricing and volume allocations. The multi-year commitment to purchase silicon similarly provides Shunda with the security and visibility to focus on expanding a world-class polysilicon plant.”

Shunda produces silicon ingots and wafers and currently supplies a number of major producers of PV crystalline cells and modules. Shunda is in the final stages of building a polysilicon plant in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, China with a first phase capacity of 1,500 metric tons. Shunda intends to initiate production of solar grade polysilicon in the third quarter of 2008.

The polysilicon plant will utilize the advanced Siemens production process, with a closed-loop recycling system, and employ equipment and engineering services from industry leading vendors including GT Solar Incorporated.

Dr. Shi remarked, “Located in our home province of Jiangsu, Shunda’s proximity to Suntech will enhance the synergies that we can achieve by integrating polysilicon refinement right through to the manufacture of premium quality solar modules. Shunda’s clear commitment to maintaining the highest environmental standards in the production of polysilicon was another key factor considered in the lead up to this partnership. We look forward to building a close and mutually supportive relationship with Shunda.”

Mr. Yunda Ni, Shunda’s CEO said, “We are delighted to enter this partnership with Suntech, a world leader in the solar industry. This long term contract will provide a stable foundation for Shunda to expand our polysilicon and wafer production facilities and help establish Shunda as a premier manufacturer of both polysilicon and silicon wafers. Our polysilicon plant is designed to employ proven technology and production techniques in order to achieve the highest standards of clean manufacturing. We look forward to making a growing contribution to the development of the solar industry.”

Commenting on Suntech’s improved silicon outlook, Dr. Shi continued, “The relatively small quantities of silicon wafers to be supplied in 2008 from Shunda will replace some of our higher-priced spot market silicon and will make an important contribution towards the completion of our 2008 production target of 530MW. With this long-term agreement, we are able to increase our silicon secured for 2009 by 50MW to 800MW of silicon with an average cost more than 20% below our average cost of silicon in 2007.”

Solar Thin Films has signed a deal with China Singyes Holding to build out 100MW of module manufacturing capacity in China, the company said.

Solar Thin Films is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of manufacturing equipment for the production of "thin-film" amorphous silicon and CIGS photovoltaic modules. As per the deal, the company will supply equipment, technology and general engineering and design support, and retain certain rights outside of China to market and distribute building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) products.

Solar Thin Films intends to install cost-effective thin-film photovoltaic manufacturing equipment through 2011. While equipment installation is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2008, the initial production and sale of BIPV products could begin in 2009.

Peter Lewis, chief executive officer of Solar Thin Films, said the proposed arrangement with China Singyes could be a significant step forward in their goal to become a leader in supplying cost-effective, thin film photovoltaic module manufacturing equipment.

Lewis added that combined with their recently announced $12.3 million order from Grupo Unisolar, to build a 5MW turn-key a-SI Module plant in Spain, it clearly shows the progress they are making. He finds this to be a terrific opportunity for them as China Singyes is one of the country's largest curtain wall engineering companies, with numerous projects inside and outside China, and a demonstrated commitment to expand an already existing presence in the solar field.

Solar Thin Films’ rights to market BIPV output from the new facility outside of China would also open new customer channels and markets for them within the construction industry.

Both the companies are currently minority shareholders and board members of CG Solar, a "thin-film" module manufacturing company located in Weihai, China, that utilizes equipment produced by Solar Thin Films.

 

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China Tianwei plans rights issue for solar projects

China's Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric Co Ltd (600550.SS: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it plans to issue new stock to shareholders to raise funds for 3.2 billion yuan ($462 million) in solar energy projects and other business requirements.

The company plans to issue up to 210 million additional shares, or up to 1.8 shares for each 10 held, to fund a solar energy panel project, two polysilicon production lines, repayment of bonds and improvement of its cash position.

It added that if the rights issue does not raise enough funds to meet the 3.2 billion yuan requirement, it would secure the remainder from its own funds or bank loans.

It said the offer price for the shares would be determined based on net assets per-share in the most recent results report. The company reported net assets per share of 4.19 yuan in the result for the first quarter.

The company's shares ended at 39.34 yuan on Tuesday. They have risen about 10 percent this year, compared with a one-third drop in Shanghai's benchmark index .SSEC.

China is encouraging solar power production as part of an effort to boost renewable energy and cut its dependence on coal to fuel its booming economy, although tight silicon supplies have hampered solar panel production at small companies.

Several Chinese solar companies such as Suntech Power Co (STP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd (JASO.O: Quote, Profile, Research) have listed shares on overseas markets. ($1=6.925 Yuan)

 

A Chinese firm, Sky Resources Solar Technology Company, has offered an intervention in solar energy production in Nigeria, as a mean of tackling power crisis in the country.
Speaking with Businessday in Abuja, the international director of the company, Xie Yunghsen said over $200,000 has been invested while over one million dollars would also be injected into the country’s energy sector before the end of the year.

Yunghsen said the goal of the company was in line with the dream of President Musa Yar’Adua to alleviate the power problem in the country, especially rural electrification.

The director, who pointed out that one source or type of energy generation method was not enough to meet the yearnings of the teeming population of Nigeria, said the company had come at the right time to complement the efforts of government in this regard

While noting that " Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources where alternative energy could be generated", Yunghsen wondered why the country should be suffering in the dark by depending solely on one source of energy.

"Nigeria with her abundant gift of sunshine cannot afford to waste wonderful opportunity to generate sufficient, affordable and efficient energy through solar technology," he stressed.

Okechukwu Ezeobina, executive director of the company in Nigeria said the company’s products which include grid-connected inverter, convert the DC power (from solar energy converted by PV modules) to the VAC/220, 50HZ/60HZ sine wave power that will supply power to the local household applications.

According to him the company has signed a pact with some banks, among which are Zenith bank, Intercontinental plc, and Diamond Bank, while discussions are on-going with Bank PHB, Oceanic bank among others to facilitate the projects in Nigeria.

He said the project is taking off soon would some states which include Anambra, Delta, Enugu whose governors are embarking on rural electrification projects

Ezeobi said plans had been concluded to domesticate the technology as some selected technicians from seven states where the projects are to take off soon would be given free training in China on manufacturing and installation.

He was optimistic that the issue of power crisis in the country would soon become a thing of the past when most of the rural communities are connected to solar grid for power supply

 

The three-day First West China Solar Photovoltaic Industry and New Energy Development Forum started Friday morning in Shuangliu, a county under the administration of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province.

The forum, which has drawn more than 300 government officials, domestic and overseas experts in the solar photovoltaic and new energy sectors and investors, will discuss the development trends of China's solar photovoltaic and new energy sectors, said Shi Dinghuan, chairman of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association.

With the mounting pressure on energy supply and increasing pollution on the environment, the world is paying more attention to the solar energy as a clean energy source.

As a result, the solar photovoltaic industry has become one of the fastest growing energy sectors in the world, and China has plans to become the world's largest market in terms of using solar energy.

Seventeen investment projects were signed at the forum, valued at 14.5 billion yuan (US$2.1 billion) Friday, between the Shuangliu county government and three companies from Sichuan. The projects are in the fields of solar photovoltaic, new energy, machinery, electronics and aviation service.

Shuangliu has attached great importance to development of the solar photovoltaic industry since 2004, and has ranked among the country’s top 100 strongest counties in terms of economic development for seven consecutive years.

 

DuPont to expand Chinese output of paste used to make photovoltaic cells

DuPont Co. said Monday it will more than double its Chinese production of pastes used by solar cell makers in manufacturing photovoltaic products.

The expanded output of its Solamet pastes at the company's Electronic Materials DuPont Dongguan Ltd. facility is as part of a strategy to more than triple DuPont's sales to the photovoltaic industry. The pastes are used by DuPont customers to increase the efficiency and production of solar cells.

DuPont expects that its sales into photovoltaics within the next five years will be over $1 billion _ up from about $300 million today, the U.S. chemical company said.

Shares fell 1 cent to $46.31 in morning trading

 

PowerRating -- Shilin, a developing city in Yunnan Province in Southwest China, will build up the country's biggest solar energy photovoltaic power station with total investment of CNY 3.7 billion.

Yunnan Power Investment New Energy Development Co., Ltd. is the main investor of this project, which is located in Shilin Town, Shilin County and covers a plot of land as large as 173.33 hectares.

The solar power station will have installed capacity of 66 megawatts and will interconnect with the local power grids to supply electricity to users in Yunnan. As a key project on the list of Yunnan Province's 2008 planning, the station is scheduled to kick off construction from October 2008 and complete within 2009.

Photovoltaic power generation is a good utility of solar energy, which is widely believed as a clean energy and is encouraged by the central government of China. Notably, Yunnan is one of the best places in China that is suitable for solar energy development because of its high altitude and strong sunshine.

 

Canadian Solar says it has completed the delivery of 66 KW of BIPV modules for the lamp posts along the Olympic Boulevard from the "Bird's Nest", the main stadium for the 2008 Olympic Games, to the Olympic Square. This BIPV project sits right on the axis of Beijing, symbolizing the nation's increasing commitment to sustainable development. Over its 25-year operating lifespan, this solar power system, with modules horizontally placed for aesthetic purpose, will still generate more than 1,925,000 Kilowatt hours and reduce CO2 emissions by more than 2750 tons.

Dr. Shawn Qu, Chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar Inc. commented: "We are very pleased to have won this prestigious contract and be a part of the 2008 Olympics. BIPV directly applies solar technology to architecture, which is a fast growing area of solar applications. Given CSI's years of experience in specialty solar modules and customized solar system design, we are ready to bring our expertise to many other future BIPV projects. China is on its way towards becoming a major solar market, and this contract will help us improve our already strong foothold in the market."

China instituted its "Renewable Energy Law" in 2006, making it mandatory for the State Electric Grid to connect to solar power and pay favorable feed- in tariffs. The execution procedure for this law, however, has yet to be released. Additionally, in August 2007, China's National Development & Reform Commission (NDRC) published its national development strategy for renewable energy. According to this strategy, China targets to install 300 MW cumulative solar generation capacity by 2010 and 1.8 GW by 2020.