Solar Cells Info

Production of Silicon for Solar Cells Begins
January 12, 2007
Source: Sharp Press release
http://sharp-world.com/corporate/news/070112_04.html

In January 2007, to procure the raw materials needed to meet an expanding demand for solar cells in the global market, Sharp Corporation is opening the Toyama site (in Toyama Prefecture, Japan) for the Solar Systems Group and is starting to produce silicon for solar cells.

With the Kyoto Protocol taking effect in February 2005 and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions accelerating, demand for solar cells has been sharply expanding. At the same time, the need for silicon raw material has also grown as the IC industry requires increasingly larger silicon wafers. Thus, securing a stable procurement of silicon, the raw material for solar cells, has become an important task.

Sharp has been promoting the efficient use of silicon raw material by reducing the thickness of its solar cells and by improving the yield of cells and modules while striving to develop new technologies for silicon material-recycling of mill ends and for refining impurities efficiently. Because these newly developed technologies have been made practical, Sharp can start production of silicon for solar cells at the Toyama site.

To meet the growing demand for solar cells, Sharp will enhance its cooperation with material suppliers and will establish an integrated production system ranging from silicon raw material to wafers, solar cells, and modules. In this way, Sharp—the company with the world’s largest market share of solar cells—will further expand its business.

Overview of the Toyama Site, Solar Systems Group
Location: 3-1, Nishinomiya-cho, Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture
(within the premises of Showa Titanium Co., Ltd.)
Employment: Approx. 200 employees
Annual production capacity: Approx. 1,000 tons
Investment: Approx. 5 billion yen
Start of production: January 2007