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Solarvalue solar silicon project as planned
Contract to buy the future solar silicon
factory in Ruse signed
Strategic investors as partners
The solar silicon project of the Solarvalue AG company from Berlin is
progressing as planned. The board of directors of the previous owner, HSE,
has signed the purchase contract and approval by the Slovenian authorities
is foreseen for the beginning of November. After that, Solarvalue can
convert part of the TDR Metalurgija d.d. factory, which to date has
primarily produced calcium carbide, for the production of metallurgical
silicon. Solarvalue intends to introduce additional purification steps to
generate high-quality solar silicon as the raw material for producing solar
cells. An annual production of 5300 metric tonnes is planned for 2008.
“The purchase is the decisive initial step of the journey toward a
fundamentally new material supply situation for the solar industry”, said
Claudia Boehringer, the CEO of Solarvalue AG. “According to our plans,
we will already be able to meet 10 % of the global market demand for
high-quality solar silicon in 2008. Our scientists have optimised the process
over several years and are convinced that we can produce more rapidly and
economically than conventional manufacturers.”
Up to now, the photovoltaic sector around the world has lived on the
waste from the semiconductor industry. The production of highest-purity
silicon involves large-scale chemistry. The global annual production for
2006 is estimated to be 37000 tonnes, of which 20000 tonnes go to the
electronics branch. Five major manufacturers, including Hemlock, Wacker
and REC, supply 89 % of the material. Due to the boom in the
photovoltaic sector, the material has become scarce. For the first time, the
solar producers will require more silicon than the semiconductor industry in
2007.
In order to meet the growing demand, the established manufacturers and
newcomers are planning extra capacity for solar silicon, which does not
need to be quite as pure as electronic-grade silicon. However, setting up
new capacity takes time: Relief for the supply shortage is not expected until 2008. The prices are increasing accordingly: After a long period when 1 kg
of solar silicon cost about €20, prices of €40 - €50 are already being paid
today and on the spot market up to €100.
If everything proceeds according to plan, the new raw material from
metallurgical silicon for solar cells will enter the market a year before that
from the classic market competitors – and with a cost advantage. “Of
course, there is a lot of work ahead of us and there are many
imponderables, but the basis of our process has been known for 20 years,
and we have demonstrated on a small industrial scale that it can be
transferred to an economic industrial production process”, stated
Boehringer.
The 22-hectare TDR factory will be taken over by the WP Profil Solarvalue
Holding d.o.o., a joint venture between Solarvalue AG and a Slovenian
partner, which intends to produce additives for steel production there. The
TDR staff of 300 will be employed by the holding. On the medium term, 70
people will be employed in the solar silicon production of Solarvalue.
Solarvalue can use existing production facilities such as the electric arc
furnaces to reduce quartz to silicon. Also, much of the equipment for the
subsequent three-stage purification process can be used. A total
investment volume of 20 million euros is anticipated for the next six
months, which will mainly be borne by two strategic investors. Further
details will be publicised at a press conference which is planned for the
near future.
Solarvalue AG was founded in June 2005 by Dr Karoly Horvath, who is also
a major indirect shareholder via the SV Holding GmbH. Horvath aims to
make his contribution toward a global energy transformation by founding
the company. The initial company goal is to produce solar silicon from
metallurgical silicon. Eventually, the aim is to cover the entire value creation
chain of an integrated PV enterprise. The stocks of Solarvalue AG are listed
on the Frankfurt Open Market.
progressing as planned. The board of directors of the previous owner, HSE,
has signed the purchase contract and approval by the Slovenian authorities
is foreseen for the beginning of November. After that, Solarvalue can
convert part of the TDR Metalurgija d.d. factory, which to date has
primarily produced calcium carbide, for the production of metallurgical
silicon. Solarvalue intends to introduce additional purification steps to
generate high-quality solar silicon as the raw material for producing solar
cells. An annual production of 5300 metric tonnes is planned for 2008.
“The purchase is the decisive initial step of the journey toward a
fundamentally new material supply situation for the solar industry”, said
Claudia Boehringer, the CEO of Solarvalue AG. “According to our plans,
we will already be able to meet 10 % of the global market demand for
high-quality solar silicon in 2008. Our scientists have optimised the process
over several years and are convinced that we can produce more rapidly and
economically than conventional manufacturers.”
Up to now, the photovoltaic sector around the world has lived on the
waste from the semiconductor industry. The production of highest-purity
silicon involves large-scale chemistry. The global annual production for
2006 is estimated to be 37000 tonnes, of which 20000 tonnes go to the
electronics branch. Five major manufacturers, including Hemlock, Wacker
and REC, supply 89 % of the material. Due to the boom in the
photovoltaic sector, the material has become scarce. For the first time, the
solar producers will require more silicon than the semiconductor industry in
2007.
In order to meet the growing demand, the established manufacturers and
newcomers are planning extra capacity for solar silicon, which does not
need to be quite as pure as electronic-grade silicon. However, setting up
new capacity takes time: Relief for the supply shortage is not expected until 2008. The prices are increasing accordingly: After a long period when 1 kg
of solar silicon cost about €20, prices of €40 - €50 are already being paid
today and on the spot market up to €100.
If everything proceeds according to plan, the new raw material from
metallurgical silicon for solar cells will enter the market a year before that
from the classic market competitors – and with a cost advantage. “Of
course, there is a lot of work ahead of us and there are many
imponderables, but the basis of our process has been known for 20 years,
and we have demonstrated on a small industrial scale that it can be
transferred to an economic industrial production process”, stated
Boehringer.
The 22-hectare TDR factory will be taken over by the WP Profil Solarvalue
Holding d.o.o., a joint venture between Solarvalue AG and a Slovenian
partner, which intends to produce additives for steel production there. The
TDR staff of 300 will be employed by the holding. On the medium term, 70
people will be employed in the solar silicon production of Solarvalue.
Solarvalue can use existing production facilities such as the electric arc
furnaces to reduce quartz to silicon. Also, much of the equipment for the
subsequent three-stage purification process can be used. A total
investment volume of 20 million euros is anticipated for the next six
months, which will mainly be borne by two strategic investors. Further
details will be publicised at a press conference which is planned for the
near future.
Solarvalue AG was founded in June 2005 by Dr Karoly Horvath, who is also
a major indirect shareholder via the SV Holding GmbH. Horvath aims to
make his contribution toward a global energy transformation by founding
the company. The initial company goal is to produce solar silicon from
metallurgical silicon. Eventually, the aim is to cover the entire value creation
chain of an integrated PV enterprise. The stocks of Solarvalue AG are listed
on the Frankfurt Open Market.
Berlin, 30.10.2006
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