India Focus
Solar Semiconductor Adds New PV Cell Line
Solar Semiconductor, a manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules in
India, is gearing up to enter the cell manufacturing segment as
part of a US$100 million expansion plan.
The plant is based in the southern city of Hyderabad, which is fast
becoming India's solar manufacturing hub, where a number of solar
energy projects are either coming up or pending approval. About
half of the 18 companies setting up plants in India are doing so in
Andhra Pradesh, as part of the Fab City project being developed as
a public-private partnership initiative of the Andhra Pradesh
Government.
"We are coming out with a cell line in addition to the module
manufacturing in our new plant being built in the Fab City. Our
intention is to make the most efficient and the best PV products in
the world," said Ravi Surapaneni, vice president, Solar
Semiconductor.
Currently, Solar Semiconductor has an 80MW manufacturing facility
in Gundlapochampally, near Hyderabad, which started commercial
production in September 2007. The company is now in the first phase
of a 50-acre project, and expected an additional 120MW PV module
capacity by the end of December 2008, as well as PV cell capacity
of 30MW, which will be doubled to 60MW in the first quarter of
2009.
Growing Success
The company generated revenues of US$15 million during the year
ending 31 March 2008, and is expecting to earn over US$140 million
for the year ending March 2009.
In July 2008, Solar Semiconductor entered into a US$1.2 billion,
multi-year contract for the supply of wafers from SolarWorld AG, a
subsidiary of Deutsche Solar AG, which operates one of the largest
multi-crystalline solar silicon wafer factories. In the same month
it also signed a US$695 million agreement with AS Solar GmbH, a
large reseller of solar PV products in Europe, to supply its
high-quality modules for the European market.
In March 2008, the company secured a US$575 million order from IBC
Solar, Germany, a large PV module manufacturer. Through this
contract, Solar Semiconductor will supply high quality PV modules
over the next three years. IBC Solar will also be using Solar
Semiconductor's products to service its Europe and US
customers.
Solar Semiconductor's family of multi- and mono-crystalline PV
modules includes models ranging from 135W to 270W.
These modules employ 156mm cells and are designed for grid connect
applications such as large commercial systems, residential systems,
PV power plants, and off-grid applications.
Manufacturing Expertise
"All our expertise in manufacturing comes from our engineers, who
come with a great deal of experience from the semiconductor
industry," said Surapaneni. "Some of the senior engineers have
hands-on experience and have set up semiconductor fabs. Our entire
line of machinery is imported, and amongst the best in the world,
equipped with the latest robotics at every critical step in the
manufacturing process to ensure high quality. Also, we are one of
the few manufacturers in the world to manufacture certified modules
with power as high as 295W."
The "state-of-the-art" plant is equipped to work with 125mm or
156mm mono and multi-crystalline cells - cells less than 180um or
160um thick and with two or three bus bars.
In October 2008 Solar Semiconductor entered into a reverse merger
agreement with US-based Trans-India Acquisition Corp (TIAC). Under
this agreement, TIAC would acquire no less than 80% in Solar
Semiconductor and its subsidiaries in India and the US. It will
pump US$92 million into expansion activities. Solar Semiconductor,
meanwhile, will have access to capital markets for raising funds,
bypassing the process of going public. After the completion of the
process, the entity will be named Solar Semiconductor Corp.
by Sufia Tippu, Bangalore
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/HONSHI/20090120/164316/