Armia Wins Lucrative Solar Cell Order From Spanish Power Plant
by Ken Liu, Taipei, July 24, 2008
Source. CENS News
http://news.cens.com/cens/html/en/news/news_inner_24119.html
Arima Electronics Inc. recently won a contract to supply a Spanish power plant an undisclosed amount of solar cells. Industry watchers estimate the volume at 0.3 megawatts valued at around US$2.1 million. Arima, which has left personal-computer manufacturing for photovoltaic business, will begin to deliver the contracted products some time in August. Industry watchers point out that the Spanish power plant plans to buy a total of 1.3-megawatt solar cells in four contracts. For Arima`s part, the company will supply, install and maintain the cells.
Arima`s executives have declined to release the detail of the contract although the company has conceded it already landed the contract. It is understood the company is testing its 2000 and 3000 families of products, which are estimated to be shipped some time next month. The company recently sold its PC business to contract electronics manufacturer Flextronics in a bid to shake off loss. After selling the unit, the company saw its operation for first quarter this year turn into earnings of NT$0.15 per share from loss of NT$0.37 it had in the same period of last year.
Institutional investors point out that Armia has completed vertical integration in the field of concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) solar panel, making it competitive. The company makes silicon wafers and cells while its affiliate Arima EcoEnergy Technologies Corp. makes modules and system products. They note that CPV boasts high photovoltaic shift ratio, at around 40%, higher than that of crystalline-based cells and that of thin-film cells. Currently, crystalline-based cells command around 90% of world solar-cell market and thin-film cells account for around 10%.