Nyheter som angår REC , del 2
Etter anmodning, opprettes ny lukket tråd for nyheter som angår Rec. Send meg forespørsel hvis du har nyheter som skal deles. Foreløpig er kun the man invitert.
Nyhetstråd fra 28/3-21 - 18/1-22:
https://finansavisen.no/forum/thread/131735/view
Nyhetstråd fra 28/3-21 - 18/1-22:
https://finansavisen.no/forum/thread/131735/view
Redigert 07.08.2022 kl 19:02
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manman01
09.06.2022 kl 12:21
11541
Qcells says Dutch court reaffirms scope of recall order imposed on Longi
https://renewablesnow.com/news/qcells-says-dutch-court-reaffirms-scope-of-recall-order-imposed-on-longi-787467/
JUNE 8, 2022
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..
June 8 (Renewables Now) - The Court of Appeal of The Hague in the Netherlands has confirmed the scope and target of the recall order imposed on the Dutch unit of Chinese solar modules manufacturer Longi Solar as a result of the outcome of its legal dispute with rival Qcells.
The latest decision relates back to the court’s judgment in preliminary injunction proceedings that prohibits Longi (Netherlands) Trading BV, or Longi NL, from directly and indirectly infringing a particular patent in 11 European countries where Qcells’ parent, Hanwha Solutions Corporation, is the registered owner. These countries are Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Austria, Portugal, Spain, the UK and Switzerland.
The Hague Court of Appeal had ordered Longi NL to send a recall letter to its customers in the aforementioned countries, whether resellers, installers, project developers or solar park operators, and request that they return the patent-infringing products sold by it. Longi NL eventually appealed the ruling and sought to establish that its recall obligations are only applicable to products held in stock for future sales, but to no avail.
..
"
https://renewablesnow.com/news/qcells-says-dutch-court-reaffirms-scope-of-recall-order-imposed-on-longi-787467/
JUNE 8, 2022
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..
June 8 (Renewables Now) - The Court of Appeal of The Hague in the Netherlands has confirmed the scope and target of the recall order imposed on the Dutch unit of Chinese solar modules manufacturer Longi Solar as a result of the outcome of its legal dispute with rival Qcells.
The latest decision relates back to the court’s judgment in preliminary injunction proceedings that prohibits Longi (Netherlands) Trading BV, or Longi NL, from directly and indirectly infringing a particular patent in 11 European countries where Qcells’ parent, Hanwha Solutions Corporation, is the registered owner. These countries are Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Austria, Portugal, Spain, the UK and Switzerland.
The Hague Court of Appeal had ordered Longi NL to send a recall letter to its customers in the aforementioned countries, whether resellers, installers, project developers or solar park operators, and request that they return the patent-infringing products sold by it. Longi NL eventually appealed the ruling and sought to establish that its recall obligations are only applicable to products held in stock for future sales, but to no avail.
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manman01
09.06.2022 kl 19:17
11408
One-pager guide to a sustainable solar supply chain (FREE DOWNLOAD)
https://ultralowcarbonsolar.org/assets/alliance-epeat-one-pager.pdf
JUNE 7, 2022
https://ultralowcarbonsolar.org/assets/alliance-epeat-one-pager.pdf
JUNE 7, 2022
Svenn_13
09.06.2022 kl 22:57
11208
Solid Power Installs Pilot Production Line For Solid-State Battery Cells
The pilot line is designed to produce EV-scale, sulfide-based solid-state cells with silicon-rich anodes (over 50% active silicon in the anode) for high energy density.
Initially, the pilot line will produce cells for internal testing before delivering cells to Solid Power's automotive partners, including BMW and Ford, which are expected to kick off automotive qualification testing by the end of this year.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/insideevs.com/news/590430/solid-power-pilot-production-batteries/amp/
Juni 7, 2022
The pilot line is designed to produce EV-scale, sulfide-based solid-state cells with silicon-rich anodes (over 50% active silicon in the anode) for high energy density.
Initially, the pilot line will produce cells for internal testing before delivering cells to Solid Power's automotive partners, including BMW and Ford, which are expected to kick off automotive qualification testing by the end of this year.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/insideevs.com/news/590430/solid-power-pilot-production-batteries/amp/
Juni 7, 2022
manman01
10.06.2022 kl 11:43
10850
Hanwha Q Cells announces another favorable ruling in patent dispute with Longi in the Netherlands
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/06/09/hanwha-q-cells-announces-another-favorable-ruling-in-patent-dispute-with-longi-in-the-netherlands/
JUNE 9, 2022
"
..
Hanwha Q-Cells had sued Longi and other manufacturers for patent infringement of its solar cell passivation technology. The new ruling follows Longi's appeal against Hanwha Q-Cells' first favorable ruling in November 2021.
“Longi NL sought to establish, through execution proceedings, that its recall obligations are only applicable to products held in stock for future sales,” Hanwha Q Cells said in a statement. “The Preliminary Relief Judge of the Rotterdam District Court and The Hague Court of Appeal disagreed and ruled that the recall measure also applies to all products that infringe EP ’689 and that are professionally used by Longi NL’s customers. The infringing products are Longi solar modules of the Hi-M03, Hi-M03m, Hi-M04, Hi M04m, Hi-M05, and Hi-M05m types (except for products referred to by HIH, HIB, and HIBD).
According to Hanwha Q-Cells, it is clear after the most recent decision that Longi NL must extend the recall campaign to all of its customers, such as PV product distributors, installers, project developers and plant operators, that purchased or use corresponding modules covered by the patent dispute. “Longi NL’s customers may return the infringing products at Longi NL’s expenses for an immediate refund of the purchase price,” the Korean manufacturer stated, noting that, if necessary, further legal action would be taken.
..
"
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/06/09/hanwha-q-cells-announces-another-favorable-ruling-in-patent-dispute-with-longi-in-the-netherlands/
JUNE 9, 2022
"
..
Hanwha Q-Cells had sued Longi and other manufacturers for patent infringement of its solar cell passivation technology. The new ruling follows Longi's appeal against Hanwha Q-Cells' first favorable ruling in November 2021.
“Longi NL sought to establish, through execution proceedings, that its recall obligations are only applicable to products held in stock for future sales,” Hanwha Q Cells said in a statement. “The Preliminary Relief Judge of the Rotterdam District Court and The Hague Court of Appeal disagreed and ruled that the recall measure also applies to all products that infringe EP ’689 and that are professionally used by Longi NL’s customers. The infringing products are Longi solar modules of the Hi-M03, Hi-M03m, Hi-M04, Hi M04m, Hi-M05, and Hi-M05m types (except for products referred to by HIH, HIB, and HIBD).
According to Hanwha Q-Cells, it is clear after the most recent decision that Longi NL must extend the recall campaign to all of its customers, such as PV product distributors, installers, project developers and plant operators, that purchased or use corresponding modules covered by the patent dispute. “Longi NL’s customers may return the infringing products at Longi NL’s expenses for an immediate refund of the purchase price,” the Korean manufacturer stated, noting that, if necessary, further legal action would be taken.
..
"
Redigert 10.06.2022 kl 11:46
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Bob Macahan
10.06.2022 kl 11:54
10941
Det ser ut som att demokraterna kommer överens och att Manchin till slut röstar tillsammans med sitt parti.
Democrats optimistic Manchin will cooperate on climate bill
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/06/09/democrats-optimistic-manchin-will-cooperate-on-climate-bill/
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said the infrastructure law passed last year was “the spine of the president’s clean energy and energy future agenda, but the tax credits (in the reconciliation bill) are the lungs of it,” Granholm told POLITICO’s Sustainability Summit. “They absolutely need to pass and I am feeling actually pretty bullish about it at this very moment.”
Democrats optimistic Manchin will cooperate on climate bill
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2022/06/09/democrats-optimistic-manchin-will-cooperate-on-climate-bill/
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said the infrastructure law passed last year was “the spine of the president’s clean energy and energy future agenda, but the tax credits (in the reconciliation bill) are the lungs of it,” Granholm told POLITICO’s Sustainability Summit. “They absolutely need to pass and I am feeling actually pretty bullish about it at this very moment.”
Redigert 10.06.2022 kl 11:55
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manman01
10.06.2022 kl 12:06
10897
Så vil jeg også føle mig bullish når Jennifer gør. Mange tak for at dele Bob!
Batteridrevne fly er på gang (Moses Lake clickbate fra meg, men dette blir relevant på sikt)
https://theaircurrent.com/aircraft-development/eviation-relocates-alice-moses-lake/
https://theaircurrent.com/aircraft-development/eviation-relocates-alice-moses-lake/
Er denne delt før? Om hvorfor Sila valgte ML
"Berdichevsky said Sila picked Moses Lake before knowing REC was reopening its facility. He added that although the company can get silane from multiple sources to start, as Sila grows its production it will need to either get silane from REC or make its own."
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/inno/stories/news/2022/06/02/bay-area-moses-lake-sila-battery-tech.html
"Berdichevsky said Sila picked Moses Lake before knowing REC was reopening its facility. He added that although the company can get silane from multiple sources to start, as Sila grows its production it will need to either get silane from REC or make its own."
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/inno/stories/news/2022/06/02/bay-area-moses-lake-sila-battery-tech.html
Svenn_13
13.06.2022 kl 21:12
10268
REC Silicon has entered into a memorandum of understanding with silicon metal company Ferroglobe for a raw material supply.
Ferroglobe will supply high-purity silicon metal from its plants in Alabama, Ohio and West Virginia for REC Silicon to make polysilicon at its Moses Lake, Washington, factory, which is scheduled to restart production at the end of 2023. This would establish a low-carbon U.S. based solar supply chain for polysilicon, the building block for crystalline silicon solar panels.
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/06/rec-silicon-will-use-u-s-silicon-supply-in-restarted-solar-polysilicon-production-plans/
June 13, 2022
Ferroglobe will supply high-purity silicon metal from its plants in Alabama, Ohio and West Virginia for REC Silicon to make polysilicon at its Moses Lake, Washington, factory, which is scheduled to restart production at the end of 2023. This would establish a low-carbon U.S. based solar supply chain for polysilicon, the building block for crystalline silicon solar panels.
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/06/rec-silicon-will-use-u-s-silicon-supply-in-restarted-solar-polysilicon-production-plans/
June 13, 2022
manman01
15.06.2022 kl 12:28
9755
White House Meets With Solar Firms in Bid To Boost Manufacturing
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/white-house-meets-with-solar-firms-in-bid-to-boost-manufacturing-1.1778894
JUNE 15, 2022
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Samantha Sloan, vice president of global policy at First Solar Inc., said the meeting “only served to underscore the concerning disconnect between solar manufacturing realities and the administration’s understanding of key issues.”
The meeting “did not result in any alignment on the path forward,” Sloan said by email.
A White House official said the meeting reflected the administration’s commitment to quickly bring online new clean energy manufacturing in the US.
Participants stressed the urgency of spurring such projects amid the climate crisis and highlighted the opportunity to ensure the technology they depend on is made in America, the White House official said.
The Zoom-based meeting included a representative of Jinko Solar Co., a China-based manufacturer with a plant in Florida as well as factories throughout Asia that could have faced expanded tariffs under a recent trade probe, said two people familiar with the discussion.
Representatives of several other solar manufacturers were included, such as Hanwha Q Cells Co. and Auxin Solar Inc., the California-based company that successfully petitioned the Commerce Department to open the investigation. Major solar trade groups that fought the probe were also present.
Manufacturers pushed White House officials for details about how the president’s executive action will catalyze new government support for domestic panel factories, given the funding constraints, the people said. Manufacturers also pressed the administration to do more to push legislation through Congress expanding tax incentives for renewable projects and clean-energy manufacturing.
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"
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/white-house-meets-with-solar-firms-in-bid-to-boost-manufacturing-1.1778894
JUNE 15, 2022
"
..
Samantha Sloan, vice president of global policy at First Solar Inc., said the meeting “only served to underscore the concerning disconnect between solar manufacturing realities and the administration’s understanding of key issues.”
The meeting “did not result in any alignment on the path forward,” Sloan said by email.
A White House official said the meeting reflected the administration’s commitment to quickly bring online new clean energy manufacturing in the US.
Participants stressed the urgency of spurring such projects amid the climate crisis and highlighted the opportunity to ensure the technology they depend on is made in America, the White House official said.
The Zoom-based meeting included a representative of Jinko Solar Co., a China-based manufacturer with a plant in Florida as well as factories throughout Asia that could have faced expanded tariffs under a recent trade probe, said two people familiar with the discussion.
Representatives of several other solar manufacturers were included, such as Hanwha Q Cells Co. and Auxin Solar Inc., the California-based company that successfully petitioned the Commerce Department to open the investigation. Major solar trade groups that fought the probe were also present.
Manufacturers pushed White House officials for details about how the president’s executive action will catalyze new government support for domestic panel factories, given the funding constraints, the people said. Manufacturers also pressed the administration to do more to push legislation through Congress expanding tax incentives for renewable projects and clean-energy manufacturing.
..
"
manman01
15.06.2022 kl 23:37
9656
Gratis registrering
REC Silicon is reopening its Moses Lake plant. Here's what it means for the red-hot battery tech industry.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/inno/stories/inno-insights/2022/06/15/rec-group14-sila-moses-lake.html
JUNE 15, 2022
"
..
For REC's part, although the company can currently supply silane for the smaller scale required by Sila and Group14, committing to providing silane for large-scale ambitions like electric vehicles, which both companies are eyeing in the coming years, will take more convincing.
"In order to build a plant, we have to have some additional assurance that we're going to have off-take. As these things start up, the worst thing we could do is isolate capacity to produce silane, build additional capacity to produce silane and then be sitting on an asset," said James May, CEO of REC.
May said if electric vehicles take off the way analysts expect, battery tech companies will need "several additional silane plants built somewhere in the world in order to meet that demand."
He added that REC doesn't need a firm contract and there is always risk in these decisions, and REC will decide how to invest in silane production based on Group14 and Sila's future plans. He said most talks with battery tech companies have been preliminary, and REC has talked to Group14 the most.
Group14, headquartered in Woodinville, and Sila, headquartered in Alameda, California, make a silicon-based powder designed to replace graphite in batteries. According to the companies, its powder can drop into existing manufacturing lines, and the powder can improve energy density.
Group14 raised $400 million in May, while Sila raised $590 million last year. Group14 is building a facility in Moses Lake slated to open in the second half of 2023. Sila bought a more than 600,000-square-foot facility right across the street from REC, and it plans to start production in the second half of 2024 with full production starting in the first half of 2025. The company announced the purchase in May.
Gene Berdichevsky, Sila's co-founder and CEO, said for now the company receive its supply of silane from a variety of sources, including REC. As Sila grows its production, however, he said Sila will need to get silane from across the street or make its own.
"It's not an accident that us and Group14 ended up there," Berdichevsky said.
..
"
REC Silicon is reopening its Moses Lake plant. Here's what it means for the red-hot battery tech industry.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/inno/stories/inno-insights/2022/06/15/rec-group14-sila-moses-lake.html
JUNE 15, 2022
"
..
For REC's part, although the company can currently supply silane for the smaller scale required by Sila and Group14, committing to providing silane for large-scale ambitions like electric vehicles, which both companies are eyeing in the coming years, will take more convincing.
"In order to build a plant, we have to have some additional assurance that we're going to have off-take. As these things start up, the worst thing we could do is isolate capacity to produce silane, build additional capacity to produce silane and then be sitting on an asset," said James May, CEO of REC.
May said if electric vehicles take off the way analysts expect, battery tech companies will need "several additional silane plants built somewhere in the world in order to meet that demand."
He added that REC doesn't need a firm contract and there is always risk in these decisions, and REC will decide how to invest in silane production based on Group14 and Sila's future plans. He said most talks with battery tech companies have been preliminary, and REC has talked to Group14 the most.
Group14, headquartered in Woodinville, and Sila, headquartered in Alameda, California, make a silicon-based powder designed to replace graphite in batteries. According to the companies, its powder can drop into existing manufacturing lines, and the powder can improve energy density.
Group14 raised $400 million in May, while Sila raised $590 million last year. Group14 is building a facility in Moses Lake slated to open in the second half of 2023. Sila bought a more than 600,000-square-foot facility right across the street from REC, and it plans to start production in the second half of 2024 with full production starting in the first half of 2025. The company announced the purchase in May.
Gene Berdichevsky, Sila's co-founder and CEO, said for now the company receive its supply of silane from a variety of sources, including REC. As Sila grows its production, however, he said Sila will need to get silane from across the street or make its own.
"It's not an accident that us and Group14 ended up there," Berdichevsky said.
..
"
Redigert 15.06.2022 kl 23:37
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Småplukker
15.06.2022 kl 23:46
9853
Dette.
Det er en utrolig viktig bekreftelse å få. Det sier seg selv at fremfor å "oppfinne hjulet" og bygge sin egen silanfabrikk, vil disse batteriprodusentene gjøre en avtale med Rec som gjør at de utvider, og kan levere det som trengs.
Det er en utrolig viktig bekreftelse å få. Det sier seg selv at fremfor å "oppfinne hjulet" og bygge sin egen silanfabrikk, vil disse batteriprodusentene gjøre en avtale med Rec som gjør at de utvider, og kan levere det som trengs.
Redigert 15.06.2022 kl 23:47
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Kort oppsummert for sila nano og Group 14:
It's not an accident that us (Sila) and Group14 ended up there," Berdichevsky said.
I 2021 var dette en drøm - som ville sikre RECsilicon sin framtid. Nå er det en realitet (som markedet enda ikke har tatt innover seg):
https://finansavisen.no/nyheter/industri/2021/01/27/7614795/rec-kan-fa-monsterkunde-i-usa
It's not an accident that us (Sila) and Group14 ended up there," Berdichevsky said.
I 2021 var dette en drøm - som ville sikre RECsilicon sin framtid. Nå er det en realitet (som markedet enda ikke har tatt innover seg):
https://finansavisen.no/nyheter/industri/2021/01/27/7614795/rec-kan-fa-monsterkunde-i-usa
Redigert 16.06.2022 kl 00:03
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Vil nok tro at det har blitt diskutert mer rundt dette enn det May sier. Som tidligere nevnt er det mye gentlemens agreement for å unngå meldeplikt.
Når G14 og Sila nå ser at HS har annonsert at de tar hele kapasiteten til REC, så kommer de frem i lyset og sier det de nå sier: "Det var ikke tilfeldig at vi havnet i ML".
REC på sin side, kan ikke si for mye på grunn av meldeplikten, vil jeg tro. Derfor en mer nyansert uttalelse fra May.
Vil tro at både G14 og Sila har mer enn nok med sine egne produkter å hanskes med å få ut i markedet, om de ikke skal starte silan fabrikk i tillegg.
Her kommer det nok forsikringer fra dem til REC om fremtidig behov, og REC lager en egen utvidelse med off-take til G14 og Sila.
Edit: Tror også at Enovix og Amprius har vært i diskusjoner med REC om off-take, men de har ikke vært så frempå i nyhetsbildet som G14 og Sila, så de går fremdeles under radaren, og May "slipper" å nevne dem.
Når G14 og Sila nå ser at HS har annonsert at de tar hele kapasiteten til REC, så kommer de frem i lyset og sier det de nå sier: "Det var ikke tilfeldig at vi havnet i ML".
REC på sin side, kan ikke si for mye på grunn av meldeplikten, vil jeg tro. Derfor en mer nyansert uttalelse fra May.
Vil tro at både G14 og Sila har mer enn nok med sine egne produkter å hanskes med å få ut i markedet, om de ikke skal starte silan fabrikk i tillegg.
Her kommer det nok forsikringer fra dem til REC om fremtidig behov, og REC lager en egen utvidelse med off-take til G14 og Sila.
Edit: Tror også at Enovix og Amprius har vært i diskusjoner med REC om off-take, men de har ikke vært så frempå i nyhetsbildet som G14 og Sila, så de går fremdeles under radaren, og May "slipper" å nevne dem.
Redigert 16.06.2022 kl 09:58
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Det tror jeg også. Ville vært noe spesielt om batterifabrikker plutselig skal begynne å lage egne fabrikker for å lage innsatsfaktorene de trenger. Det vil kreve mye investeringer og risiko. Istedenfor å skalere med fokus på kjerneområdet og egen teknologi.
Ordner seg dette!
Edit: Amprius kan være potensiell kjøper av den tomten SørlieInvest snakket om i går. Ikke at jeg har fått med meg hvilken tomt det er, men tipper et nytt anodeselskap er på vei inn i ML.
Ordner seg dette!
Edit: Amprius kan være potensiell kjøper av den tomten SørlieInvest snakket om i går. Ikke at jeg har fått med meg hvilken tomt det er, men tipper et nytt anodeselskap er på vei inn i ML.
Redigert 16.06.2022 kl 10:00
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Intravenøsiu
16.06.2022 kl 10:04
9177
Kan og legge til at OneD battery er igang med å sette opp anlegg for pilotproduksjon i større skala i Moses Lake, uvisst om leveransen fra Amerikansk produsent er levert enda, “CVD equipment cooperation” er leverandør og de har tidligere guidet leveranse av produksjonsutstyr første halvår 2022:
"The order rate has benefited from the increased demand for nanotechnology materials including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), Graphene and silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) to support development and manufacturing for battery materials used in electric vehicles. CVD received two system orders in 2021 to deposit coatings onto powders used in silicon-graphite anodes, including a production system to OneD Battery Sciences (Palo Alto, CA) and a second for research and material development. Both systems are planned to ship in the first half of 2022.”
https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/CVV:US/news/5081943634374374/CVD_Equipment_Corporation_Reports_Increased_Product_Demand_For_2021
Dette anlegget er slik jeg har forstått det modulært og nogenlunde likt det som vil brukes i fullskala produksjon.
"The order rate has benefited from the increased demand for nanotechnology materials including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), Graphene and silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) to support development and manufacturing for battery materials used in electric vehicles. CVD received two system orders in 2021 to deposit coatings onto powders used in silicon-graphite anodes, including a production system to OneD Battery Sciences (Palo Alto, CA) and a second for research and material development. Both systems are planned to ship in the first half of 2022.”
https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/CVV:US/news/5081943634374374/CVD_Equipment_Corporation_Reports_Increased_Product_Demand_For_2021
Dette anlegget er slik jeg har forstått det modulært og nogenlunde likt det som vil brukes i fullskala produksjon.
Redigert 16.06.2022 kl 10:05
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"Dette anlegget er slik jeg har forstått det modulært og nogenlunde likt det som vil brukes i fullskala produksjon."
Dette er jo spennende i tilfellet. Da er de kanskje ikke avhengig av å sikre seg en ny tomt og bygge på nytt sted for å starte produksjon i stor skala. Bare utvide på infrastrukturen de har. Jeg har gått rundt og tenkt at OneD kanskje må gjøre som G14 og SilaN, finne seg en ny stor tomt å bygge på.
Dette er jo spennende i tilfellet. Da er de kanskje ikke avhengig av å sikre seg en ny tomt og bygge på nytt sted for å starte produksjon i stor skala. Bare utvide på infrastrukturen de har. Jeg har gått rundt og tenkt at OneD kanskje må gjøre som G14 og SilaN, finne seg en ny stor tomt å bygge på.
Stemmer det. Er sannsynligvis den tomten som er ringet inn i blått (litt usikker hvor tomtegrensen går, men close enough):
https://ibb.co/t3gpLmp
https://ibb.co/t3gpLmp
Intravenøsiu
16.06.2022 kl 10:41
9334
Jeg har ingen informasjon om dette, uansett så er det rimelig å tro at man vil få en oppdatering fra OneD på et tidspunkt vedrørende fremdrift.
Krohnjuvelen
16.06.2022 kl 13:34
9131
Her kommer det tydelig frem for meg at May mangler strategiske egenskaper. Han bør holde seg til regnearkene. Når han15/06, like etter å ha fått spørsmål rundt det samme på q1 her å lire av seg nyheter som ville skapt begeistring og optimisme blant investorene.. Krise!! Skaper bare usikkerhet, håper ikke han har tillit hos det nye styret.
Tomten som du har ringet inn her eier REC Silicon.
https://www.acrevalue.com/map/?lat=47.137995&lng=-119.195015&zoom=14
https://www.acrevalue.com/map/?lat=47.137995&lng=-119.195015&zoom=14
Redigert 16.06.2022 kl 14:10
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Boldor
16.06.2022 kl 17:03
9215
Delt av "Høstmørket" på Shareville:
https://www.seia.org/news/solar-executives-flock-washington-urge-congressional-action-reconciliation
https://www.seia.org/news/solar-executives-flock-washington-urge-congressional-action-reconciliation
manman01
16.06.2022 kl 18:24
9145
Inside the White House meeting with solar manufacturers aiming to formulate PV production strategy
https://www.pv-tech.org/white-house-officials-solar-manufacturers-discuss-us-pv-manufacturing/
JUNE 16, 2022
"
..
The meeting, initially reported by Bloomberg and which was not public, lasted around an hour, was hosted by deputy national climate advisor Ali Zaidi and was attended by more than 20 representatives, according to the news service. PV Tech understands that industry trade bodies were also present.
Last week, President Biden authorised the US Department of Energy (DOE) to use the DPA – Cold War-era legislation designed to incentivise the domestic manufacture of strategically important goods – to accelerate the production of five clean energy technologies, including PV modules and module components.
At the time, the White House said it would convene “relevant industry” and other stakeholders to “maximise the impact” of tools available under the DPA.
The meeting was billed as just the beginning of efforts to establish a clear solar manufacturing strategy but one person in attendance told PV Tech that there was not even the skeleton of a plan, with few details fleshed out during the call.
“There are no plans, there is no clear path but a political announcement,” said the source. “As an industry player, we need to push and pull to make it happen. It is possible, and we have the government’s attention now.”
A second source PV Tech spoke to who was in attendance said there were voices on both sides of the highly contentious investigation into alleged circumvention of antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) – those who supported Auxin Solar’s petition and those vehemently against it who welcomed Biden’s two-year exemption from certain trade tariffs on solar modules manufactured in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
“There’s no way for anyone to say the White House didn’t make itself open to hearing a variety of viewpoints,” said the source.
“The call itself was dominated by vocal voices who support Auxin’s circumvention petition, including Auxin,” they said, adding that other stakeholders in the domestic manufacturing space “joined to show support for the administration’s important efforts with their solar proclamation”.
Nonetheless, it appears as though little of substance has come out of the meeting in terms of a clear solar manufacturing strategy.
Canadian solar manufacturer Heliene, which has production facilities in the US, was in attendance. Its CEO Martin Pochtaruk told PV Tech the company “finds the US federal administration decision to support domestic solar PV manufacturing encouraging” but that the industry needed to “promptly collaborate to transform that willingness into workable plans and programmes that transform such clear intention into manufacturing capital expenditure”.
..
"
https://www.pv-tech.org/white-house-officials-solar-manufacturers-discuss-us-pv-manufacturing/
JUNE 16, 2022
"
..
The meeting, initially reported by Bloomberg and which was not public, lasted around an hour, was hosted by deputy national climate advisor Ali Zaidi and was attended by more than 20 representatives, according to the news service. PV Tech understands that industry trade bodies were also present.
Last week, President Biden authorised the US Department of Energy (DOE) to use the DPA – Cold War-era legislation designed to incentivise the domestic manufacture of strategically important goods – to accelerate the production of five clean energy technologies, including PV modules and module components.
At the time, the White House said it would convene “relevant industry” and other stakeholders to “maximise the impact” of tools available under the DPA.
The meeting was billed as just the beginning of efforts to establish a clear solar manufacturing strategy but one person in attendance told PV Tech that there was not even the skeleton of a plan, with few details fleshed out during the call.
“There are no plans, there is no clear path but a political announcement,” said the source. “As an industry player, we need to push and pull to make it happen. It is possible, and we have the government’s attention now.”
A second source PV Tech spoke to who was in attendance said there were voices on both sides of the highly contentious investigation into alleged circumvention of antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) – those who supported Auxin Solar’s petition and those vehemently against it who welcomed Biden’s two-year exemption from certain trade tariffs on solar modules manufactured in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
“There’s no way for anyone to say the White House didn’t make itself open to hearing a variety of viewpoints,” said the source.
“The call itself was dominated by vocal voices who support Auxin’s circumvention petition, including Auxin,” they said, adding that other stakeholders in the domestic manufacturing space “joined to show support for the administration’s important efforts with their solar proclamation”.
Nonetheless, it appears as though little of substance has come out of the meeting in terms of a clear solar manufacturing strategy.
Canadian solar manufacturer Heliene, which has production facilities in the US, was in attendance. Its CEO Martin Pochtaruk told PV Tech the company “finds the US federal administration decision to support domestic solar PV manufacturing encouraging” but that the industry needed to “promptly collaborate to transform that willingness into workable plans and programmes that transform such clear intention into manufacturing capital expenditure”.
..
"
manman01
16.06.2022 kl 18:27
9395
Lidt supplering
Solar execs lobby Congress for ITC extension, domestic manufacturing credits
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/06/solar-execs-lobby-congress-itc-extension-domestic-manufacturing/
JUNE 16, 2022
Solar execs lobby Congress for ITC extension, domestic manufacturing credits
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/06/solar-execs-lobby-congress-itc-extension-domestic-manufacturing/
JUNE 16, 2022
manman01
16.06.2022 kl 19:45
9300
Congressman Tim Ryan Introduces Legislation to Strengthen American Solar Manufacturing
https://timryan.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-tim-ryan-introduces-legislation-strengthen-american-solar
JUNE 16, 2022
"
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) introduced the Ensuring America Gets Legitimate Energy Sourced, Originating, and Leased at Home Reliably Act (EAGLE SOLAR) Act, legislation that expands Buy American rules to solar purchase power agreements, ensuring that the solar panels that power the federal government are made in America by American workers, not in Chinese coal-fired power plants by Uyghur forced labor.
Currently, Buy American provisions apply to solar panel procurement, but not to panels used for purchase power agreements, which is the primary method the government pays for solar power. This bill closes that loophole, investing in domestic solar manufacturing companies and workers.
Original cosponsors of the EAGLE SOLAR Act include Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Peter DeFazio (OR-04).
“The solar panels that power American homes and businesses should be made in America by American workers, not by a human-rights-abusing communist government hell bent on undermining our workforce,” said Congressman Ryan. “If we want to meet the moment on climate change, reinvest in our communities, and dominate the industries of the future, we need to have the guts to take on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and close the loopholes that have enabled years of abusive trade practices. My legislation does just that, all while incentivizing growth in this key sector and leveling the playing field for Ohio workers, businesses, and the entire American solar industry.”
“American workers and American companies must be the ones who power America. The EAGLE SOLAR Act will cement Ohio’s role as a hub of solar innovation and support living wage jobs for hardworking men and women throughout the industry,” said Congresswoman Kaptur.
“As one of the two actual U.S. manufacturers of solar panels, we strongly support EAGLE SOLAR as a means to secure our energy future,” said Aaron Bates, Chairman & Chief Executive of Toledo Solar. “We must prevent our solar industry from being dominated by products from China and other countries that use slave labor and violate U.S. trade laws. We thank Representatives Ryan and Kaptur for their leadership in ensuring that the taxpayer dollars support the solar technology developed, manufactured, and deployed right here in the U.S. and by our allies.”
“Closing this ‘Buy American’ loophole is critical to ensuring that American solar powers the federal government. We applaud Congressman Ryan’s leadership on this issue,” said Samantha Sloan, VP of Global Policy for First Solar.
“On behalf of CPA and our members, we applaud Representative Ryan for introducing this critical legislation to boost American solar manufacturing,” said Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America. “Importantly, this bill will close a loophole that allows China’s government-subsidized solar manufacturers that use forced labor and dirty coal-fired power plants to exploit the Buy American Act — a loophole that the Biden administration has shown no interest in addressing.”
The United States currently leads the world in solar technology innovation, yet 80% of the world’s solar panels are currently made in China. Through a combination of lax environmental standards, the use of forced labor in the Xinjiang region, targeted subsidies, and other predatory trade practices such as dumping, circumvention, and intellectual property theft, China has engaged in unfair trade for years against American competitors.
Unfortunately, the Biden Administration’s recent decision to suspend solar import tariffs for 24 months will be detrimental to our domestic solar industry, enabling the CCP to continue to flood the U.S. market with cheap Chinese solar panels, smothering our domestic solar industry. The EAGLE SOLAR Act is critically needed to end our dependence on the CCP for solar manufacturing, put American workers first, and preserve our economic, energy, and national security.
"
https://timryan.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-tim-ryan-introduces-legislation-strengthen-american-solar
JUNE 16, 2022
"
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) introduced the Ensuring America Gets Legitimate Energy Sourced, Originating, and Leased at Home Reliably Act (EAGLE SOLAR) Act, legislation that expands Buy American rules to solar purchase power agreements, ensuring that the solar panels that power the federal government are made in America by American workers, not in Chinese coal-fired power plants by Uyghur forced labor.
Currently, Buy American provisions apply to solar panel procurement, but not to panels used for purchase power agreements, which is the primary method the government pays for solar power. This bill closes that loophole, investing in domestic solar manufacturing companies and workers.
Original cosponsors of the EAGLE SOLAR Act include Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Peter DeFazio (OR-04).
“The solar panels that power American homes and businesses should be made in America by American workers, not by a human-rights-abusing communist government hell bent on undermining our workforce,” said Congressman Ryan. “If we want to meet the moment on climate change, reinvest in our communities, and dominate the industries of the future, we need to have the guts to take on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and close the loopholes that have enabled years of abusive trade practices. My legislation does just that, all while incentivizing growth in this key sector and leveling the playing field for Ohio workers, businesses, and the entire American solar industry.”
“American workers and American companies must be the ones who power America. The EAGLE SOLAR Act will cement Ohio’s role as a hub of solar innovation and support living wage jobs for hardworking men and women throughout the industry,” said Congresswoman Kaptur.
“As one of the two actual U.S. manufacturers of solar panels, we strongly support EAGLE SOLAR as a means to secure our energy future,” said Aaron Bates, Chairman & Chief Executive of Toledo Solar. “We must prevent our solar industry from being dominated by products from China and other countries that use slave labor and violate U.S. trade laws. We thank Representatives Ryan and Kaptur for their leadership in ensuring that the taxpayer dollars support the solar technology developed, manufactured, and deployed right here in the U.S. and by our allies.”
“Closing this ‘Buy American’ loophole is critical to ensuring that American solar powers the federal government. We applaud Congressman Ryan’s leadership on this issue,” said Samantha Sloan, VP of Global Policy for First Solar.
“On behalf of CPA and our members, we applaud Representative Ryan for introducing this critical legislation to boost American solar manufacturing,” said Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America. “Importantly, this bill will close a loophole that allows China’s government-subsidized solar manufacturers that use forced labor and dirty coal-fired power plants to exploit the Buy American Act — a loophole that the Biden administration has shown no interest in addressing.”
The United States currently leads the world in solar technology innovation, yet 80% of the world’s solar panels are currently made in China. Through a combination of lax environmental standards, the use of forced labor in the Xinjiang region, targeted subsidies, and other predatory trade practices such as dumping, circumvention, and intellectual property theft, China has engaged in unfair trade for years against American competitors.
Unfortunately, the Biden Administration’s recent decision to suspend solar import tariffs for 24 months will be detrimental to our domestic solar industry, enabling the CCP to continue to flood the U.S. market with cheap Chinese solar panels, smothering our domestic solar industry. The EAGLE SOLAR Act is critically needed to end our dependence on the CCP for solar manufacturing, put American workers first, and preserve our economic, energy, and national security.
"
manman01
17.06.2022 kl 10:57
8962
WHY THIS BAY AREA BATTERY TECH COMPANY IS SETTING UP SHOP IN MOSES LAKE
https://suhrco.com/why-this-bay-area-battery-tech-company-is-setting-up-shop-in-moses-lake/
JUNE 16, 2022
"
..
“We are very keen to scale up quickly. This market, you either keep up with it or get left behind, so we wanted an existing site,” Berdichevsky said. “Building a new building is incredibly time-consuming and expensive.”
As for talent, Berdichevsky said Moses Lake, which has a population of roughly 25,000, has strong industrial talent with the likes of REC Silicon and other manufacturers in the area. Sila is already forming relationships with local community colleges, and nearby schools like Gonzaga and Washington State University could provide key talent, he added. According to Berdichevsky, Sila plans to hire locally in Moses Lake for manufacturing jobs, as well as some of the engineering jobs.
The new facility is right next to REC Silicon’s facility at 3322 Road N NE. REC Silicon makes a gas called silane that is crucial for both Sila and Group14. The company, which makes polysilicon and silicon gases for the solar and electronics industries, has facilities in Moses Lake and Silver Bow, Montana. REC’s facility in Moses Lake has been dormant, but after a major investment from the South Korean manufacturing company Hanwha Corp. earlier this year, REC in May announced it plans to restart production and reach full capacity in 2024.
Berdichevsky said Sila picked Moses Lake before knowing REC was reopening its facility. He added that although the company can get silane from multiple sources to start, as Sila grows its production it will need to either get silane from REC or make its own.
Sila and Group14 both make a silicon-based powder that is designed to replace graphite in traditional batteries. The powder, which both companies say can drop into existing manufacturing processes, improves energy density, according to the companies. Both are eyeing consumer electronics and electric vehicles.
Sila’s powder already powers a fitness tracker called the Whoop 4.0. The company raised $590 million last year, while Group14 raised $400 million in May.
Sila said the Moses Lake facility is on 160 acres, and the company’s initial production will be enough to power between 100,000 and 500,000 electric vehicles and 500 million mobile phones each year.
The facility will start production in the second half of 2024 and will reach full production in the first half of 2025. Berdichevsky said the company plans to hire about 100 workers at the plant to start. A company spokesperson said Sila paid in the “low nine figures” for the facility.
“We’ve got to get to building,” Berdichevsky said. “We have real customers.”
..
"
https://suhrco.com/why-this-bay-area-battery-tech-company-is-setting-up-shop-in-moses-lake/
JUNE 16, 2022
"
..
“We are very keen to scale up quickly. This market, you either keep up with it or get left behind, so we wanted an existing site,” Berdichevsky said. “Building a new building is incredibly time-consuming and expensive.”
As for talent, Berdichevsky said Moses Lake, which has a population of roughly 25,000, has strong industrial talent with the likes of REC Silicon and other manufacturers in the area. Sila is already forming relationships with local community colleges, and nearby schools like Gonzaga and Washington State University could provide key talent, he added. According to Berdichevsky, Sila plans to hire locally in Moses Lake for manufacturing jobs, as well as some of the engineering jobs.
The new facility is right next to REC Silicon’s facility at 3322 Road N NE. REC Silicon makes a gas called silane that is crucial for both Sila and Group14. The company, which makes polysilicon and silicon gases for the solar and electronics industries, has facilities in Moses Lake and Silver Bow, Montana. REC’s facility in Moses Lake has been dormant, but after a major investment from the South Korean manufacturing company Hanwha Corp. earlier this year, REC in May announced it plans to restart production and reach full capacity in 2024.
Berdichevsky said Sila picked Moses Lake before knowing REC was reopening its facility. He added that although the company can get silane from multiple sources to start, as Sila grows its production it will need to either get silane from REC or make its own.
Sila and Group14 both make a silicon-based powder that is designed to replace graphite in traditional batteries. The powder, which both companies say can drop into existing manufacturing processes, improves energy density, according to the companies. Both are eyeing consumer electronics and electric vehicles.
Sila’s powder already powers a fitness tracker called the Whoop 4.0. The company raised $590 million last year, while Group14 raised $400 million in May.
Sila said the Moses Lake facility is on 160 acres, and the company’s initial production will be enough to power between 100,000 and 500,000 electric vehicles and 500 million mobile phones each year.
The facility will start production in the second half of 2024 and will reach full production in the first half of 2025. Berdichevsky said the company plans to hire about 100 workers at the plant to start. A company spokesperson said Sila paid in the “low nine figures” for the facility.
“We’ve got to get to building,” Berdichevsky said. “We have real customers.”
..
"
Intravenøsiu
17.06.2022 kl 14:54
8838
Fra April i år, jeg har ikke sett dette nevnt noe sted på forumet.
Delstatstøtte til Group14, omhandler “silicon polymer Solid State Batteri", ikke Li-ion.
"Group14 (Seattle, King County) – $426,858 for demonstration of a silicon polymer solid state battery. New battery technologies are critical to the electrification of key sectors, and the proposed next generation silicon polymer solid state battery will increase energy density, while retaining the longevity and stability seen in traditional lithium-ion batteries.”
https://www.commerce.wa.gov/news/commerce-announces-latest-round-of-state-investments-in-new-and-novel-clean-energy-technology-projects-powered-by-diverse-public-private-partnerships/
Delstatstøtte til Group14, omhandler “silicon polymer Solid State Batteri", ikke Li-ion.
"Group14 (Seattle, King County) – $426,858 for demonstration of a silicon polymer solid state battery. New battery technologies are critical to the electrification of key sectors, and the proposed next generation silicon polymer solid state battery will increase energy density, while retaining the longevity and stability seen in traditional lithium-ion batteries.”
https://www.commerce.wa.gov/news/commerce-announces-latest-round-of-state-investments-in-new-and-novel-clean-energy-technology-projects-powered-by-diverse-public-private-partnerships/
Redigert 17.06.2022 kl 14:56
Du må logge inn for å svare
History says the next bull market is just months away, and it could carry the S&P 500 to the 6,000 level, according to Bank of America
https://finance.yahoo.com/m/823521ee-49fe-316c-a75b-fd558ae077cb/history-says-the-next-bull.html
https://finance.yahoo.com/m/823521ee-49fe-316c-a75b-fd558ae077cb/history-says-the-next-bull.html
manman01
27.06.2022 kl 08:35
7942
UAE aluminum maker enters silicon metal, polysilicon business
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/06/27/uae-aluminum-maker-enters-silicon-metal-polysilicon-business/
JUNE 27, 2022
Biden administration should chart strategy for US solar
https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/3537731-biden-administration-should-chart-strategy-for-us-solar/amp/
JUNE 26, 2022
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/06/27/uae-aluminum-maker-enters-silicon-metal-polysilicon-business/
JUNE 27, 2022
Biden administration should chart strategy for US solar
https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/3537731-biden-administration-should-chart-strategy-for-us-solar/amp/
JUNE 26, 2022
manman01
27.06.2022 kl 08:39
7940
Remarks by President Biden at Launch of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/06/26/remarks-by-president-biden-at-launch-of-the-partnership-for-global-infrastructure-and-investment/
JUNE 26, 2022
“..
That’s why, one year ago, when this group of leaders met in Cornwall, we made a commitment: The democratic nations of the G7 would step up — step up and provide financing for quality, high-standard, sustainable infrastructure in developing and middle-income countries.
What we’re doing is fundamentally different because it’s grounded on our shared values of all those representing the countries and organizations behind me. It’s built using the global best practices: transparency, partnership, protections for labor and the environment.
We’re offering better options for countries and for people around the world to invest in critical infrastructure that improves the lives — their lives, all of our lives — and delivers real gains for all of our people, not just the G7 — all of our people.
Today, we officially launch the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. We collectively have dozens of projects already underway around the globe.
And I’m proud to announce the United States will mobilize $200 billion in public and private capital over the next five years for that Partnership.
We’re here today because we’re making this commitment together as a G7 in coordination with one another to maximize the impact of our work.
Collectively, we aim to mobilize nearly $600 billion from the G7 by 2027.
These strategic investments are areas of — critical to sustainable development and to our shared global stability: health and health security, digital connectivity, gender equality and equity, climate and energy security.
..”
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/06/26/remarks-by-president-biden-at-launch-of-the-partnership-for-global-infrastructure-and-investment/
JUNE 26, 2022
“..
That’s why, one year ago, when this group of leaders met in Cornwall, we made a commitment: The democratic nations of the G7 would step up — step up and provide financing for quality, high-standard, sustainable infrastructure in developing and middle-income countries.
What we’re doing is fundamentally different because it’s grounded on our shared values of all those representing the countries and organizations behind me. It’s built using the global best practices: transparency, partnership, protections for labor and the environment.
We’re offering better options for countries and for people around the world to invest in critical infrastructure that improves the lives — their lives, all of our lives — and delivers real gains for all of our people, not just the G7 — all of our people.
Today, we officially launch the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. We collectively have dozens of projects already underway around the globe.
And I’m proud to announce the United States will mobilize $200 billion in public and private capital over the next five years for that Partnership.
We’re here today because we’re making this commitment together as a G7 in coordination with one another to maximize the impact of our work.
Collectively, we aim to mobilize nearly $600 billion from the G7 by 2027.
These strategic investments are areas of — critical to sustainable development and to our shared global stability: health and health security, digital connectivity, gender equality and equity, climate and energy security.
..”
manman01
27.06.2022 kl 08:42
8118
“..
Fourth and very important, climate and energy. We’re seeing just how critical this is every day. The entire world is feeling the impact of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine and on our energy markets.
We need worldwide effort to invest in transformative clean energy projects to ensure that critical infrastructure is resilient to changing climate.
Critical materials that are necessary for our clean energy transition, including the production of batteries, need to be developed with high standards for labor and the environment.
..”
Fourth and very important, climate and energy. We’re seeing just how critical this is every day. The entire world is feeling the impact of Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine and on our energy markets.
We need worldwide effort to invest in transformative clean energy projects to ensure that critical infrastructure is resilient to changing climate.
Critical materials that are necessary for our clean energy transition, including the production of batteries, need to be developed with high standards for labor and the environment.
..”
manman01
27.06.2022 kl 14:54
7866
GlobalWafers Selects Sherman, Texas for New Semiconductor Silicon Wafer Site
https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2022/06/globalwafers-selects-sherman-texas-new-semiconductor-silicon-wafer-site
JUNE 27, 2022
"
..
At full build-out, the multi-staged, 3.2 million-square-foot silicon wafer factory will be the largest facility of its kind in the USA and among the largest in the world along with secured abundance of land to support any required further growth.
Hsinchu, Taiwan-based global semiconductor silicon wafer company, GlobalWafers, announced today that it plans to build a state-of-the-art 300-millimeter silicon wafer factory in Sherman, Texas, which is the first of its kind in the USA over twenty (20) years. Construction is expected to commence later this year.
This 300-millimeter greenfield investment is consistent with the Company’s announcement on February 6th of this year of brownfield and greenfield expansions totaling NTD 100 bn. This new Texas investment could also support as many as 1,500 jobs with production volumes ultimately reaching 1.2 mn wafers per month after multiple stages of equipment installation, in alignment with market demand.
300-millimeter silicon wafers are the starting material for all advanced semiconductor fabrication sites (or fabs), including recently announced United States (US) expansions by GlobalFoundries, Intel, Samsung, Texas Instruments and TSMC. Most of these wafers are currently manufactured in Asia, forcing the US semiconductor industry to highly rely on imported silicon wafers. This investment will represent the first new silicon wafer facility in the US in over two decades and close a critical semiconductor supply chain gap.
GlobalWafers Chairman/CEO Doris Hsu stated, “With the global chips shortage and ongoing geopolitical concerns, GlobalWafers is taking this opportunity to address the United States semiconductor supply chain resiliency issue by building an advanced node, state-of-the-art, 300-millimeter silicon wafer factory. Instead of importing wafers from Asia, GlobalWafers USA (GWA) will produce and supply wafers locally thereby reducing significant carbon footprint benefitting both customers and GWA in the current ESG tide worldwide.”
“Today’s announcement from GlobalWafers is critical to rebuilding the domestic semiconductor supply chain, strengthening our economic and national security, and creating U.S. manufacturing jobs,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The Biden Administration has worked tirelessly to make the U.S. an attractive place to manufacture semiconductors and their components, and are excited that GlobalWafers chose Texas for their new facility. But we are at a make-or-break moment to expand domestic semiconductor production. Semiconductor firms need to make investment decisions by the fall to meet the enormous increased demand for chips. GlobalWafers committed to the US because they believe Congress will get the Bipartisan Innovation Act over the finish line in the coming weeks. Moving quickly to pass this bill will demonstrate America’s commitment to robust domestic semiconductor capacity and provide more companies throughout the supply chain the confidence they need to move forward with investments here.”
“The State of Texas continues to attract and support world-class manufacturers that are leading breakthroughs in innovation and technology,” said Governor Abbott. “GlobalWafers’ ongoing partnership with the City of Sherman, which was initiated with GlobiTech, will create more than a thousand new jobs for the region and investing billions of dollars into our state's economy, boosting Texas’s global position in the semiconductor industry amid a worldwide chip shortage. We look forward to continuing working with GlobalWafers to keep providing economic opportunities through its expanded presence in the Lone Star State."
“Sherman has spent years building a business-friendly climate and laying the groundwork to support large employers," said David Plyer, Mayor of Sherman. "Now, for the second time in less than a year, that investment has paid huge dividends. GlobalWafers’ decision to locate their state-of-the-art, semiconductor silicon wafer facility in Sherman will meet a critical industry need and cement our city’s status as a center of high-tech manufacturing, not only in Texas, but across the country. I want to
thank GlobalWafers for their investment in Sherman and for the trust they have placed in our local leadership. This project will provide profound benefits for our citizens, our city and Grayson County for decades to come."
Production from the first fab is anticipated as early as 2025, according to the Company. GlobalWafers will use the new North Texas site to address the silicon wafer shortage, which has contributed to the semiconductor or “chips” crisis. The company’s business is unprecedented and continues to sell out future output, including the volumes anticipated from this new site.
“This announcement is another critical step in addressing the US and global chips supply issue”, commented Sherman-based, GlobalWafers President Mark England. Moreover, in order to level the global incentive playing field, the impending passage of the US CHIPS Act will be instrumental in ensuring ongoing semiconductor investments of this kind. With the proper level of federal incentives, I can envision the City of Sherman developing into the complete semiconductor ecosystem to fully
support the growing US semiconductor industry.”
About GlobalWafers
GlobalWafers is a multinational corporation, with 17 manufacturing and operation sites located in 9 countries. GlobalWafers has a wholly-owned subsidiary, GlobiTech, located in Sherman, which manufactures silicon carbide and silicon epitaxial wafers focused on power and electric vehicle (EV) market segments. Additionally in the United States, GlobalWafers has a 200-millimeter silicon-on-insulator wafer factory located in St. Peters, Missouri, and is in the process of a 300-millimeter silicon-on-insulator expansion to address burgeoning radio frequency (RF) applications.
View more information about GlobalWafers Co., Ltd
..
"
https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2022/06/globalwafers-selects-sherman-texas-new-semiconductor-silicon-wafer-site
JUNE 27, 2022
"
..
At full build-out, the multi-staged, 3.2 million-square-foot silicon wafer factory will be the largest facility of its kind in the USA and among the largest in the world along with secured abundance of land to support any required further growth.
Hsinchu, Taiwan-based global semiconductor silicon wafer company, GlobalWafers, announced today that it plans to build a state-of-the-art 300-millimeter silicon wafer factory in Sherman, Texas, which is the first of its kind in the USA over twenty (20) years. Construction is expected to commence later this year.
This 300-millimeter greenfield investment is consistent with the Company’s announcement on February 6th of this year of brownfield and greenfield expansions totaling NTD 100 bn. This new Texas investment could also support as many as 1,500 jobs with production volumes ultimately reaching 1.2 mn wafers per month after multiple stages of equipment installation, in alignment with market demand.
300-millimeter silicon wafers are the starting material for all advanced semiconductor fabrication sites (or fabs), including recently announced United States (US) expansions by GlobalFoundries, Intel, Samsung, Texas Instruments and TSMC. Most of these wafers are currently manufactured in Asia, forcing the US semiconductor industry to highly rely on imported silicon wafers. This investment will represent the first new silicon wafer facility in the US in over two decades and close a critical semiconductor supply chain gap.
GlobalWafers Chairman/CEO Doris Hsu stated, “With the global chips shortage and ongoing geopolitical concerns, GlobalWafers is taking this opportunity to address the United States semiconductor supply chain resiliency issue by building an advanced node, state-of-the-art, 300-millimeter silicon wafer factory. Instead of importing wafers from Asia, GlobalWafers USA (GWA) will produce and supply wafers locally thereby reducing significant carbon footprint benefitting both customers and GWA in the current ESG tide worldwide.”
“Today’s announcement from GlobalWafers is critical to rebuilding the domestic semiconductor supply chain, strengthening our economic and national security, and creating U.S. manufacturing jobs,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The Biden Administration has worked tirelessly to make the U.S. an attractive place to manufacture semiconductors and their components, and are excited that GlobalWafers chose Texas for their new facility. But we are at a make-or-break moment to expand domestic semiconductor production. Semiconductor firms need to make investment decisions by the fall to meet the enormous increased demand for chips. GlobalWafers committed to the US because they believe Congress will get the Bipartisan Innovation Act over the finish line in the coming weeks. Moving quickly to pass this bill will demonstrate America’s commitment to robust domestic semiconductor capacity and provide more companies throughout the supply chain the confidence they need to move forward with investments here.”
“The State of Texas continues to attract and support world-class manufacturers that are leading breakthroughs in innovation and technology,” said Governor Abbott. “GlobalWafers’ ongoing partnership with the City of Sherman, which was initiated with GlobiTech, will create more than a thousand new jobs for the region and investing billions of dollars into our state's economy, boosting Texas’s global position in the semiconductor industry amid a worldwide chip shortage. We look forward to continuing working with GlobalWafers to keep providing economic opportunities through its expanded presence in the Lone Star State."
“Sherman has spent years building a business-friendly climate and laying the groundwork to support large employers," said David Plyer, Mayor of Sherman. "Now, for the second time in less than a year, that investment has paid huge dividends. GlobalWafers’ decision to locate their state-of-the-art, semiconductor silicon wafer facility in Sherman will meet a critical industry need and cement our city’s status as a center of high-tech manufacturing, not only in Texas, but across the country. I want to
thank GlobalWafers for their investment in Sherman and for the trust they have placed in our local leadership. This project will provide profound benefits for our citizens, our city and Grayson County for decades to come."
Production from the first fab is anticipated as early as 2025, according to the Company. GlobalWafers will use the new North Texas site to address the silicon wafer shortage, which has contributed to the semiconductor or “chips” crisis. The company’s business is unprecedented and continues to sell out future output, including the volumes anticipated from this new site.
“This announcement is another critical step in addressing the US and global chips supply issue”, commented Sherman-based, GlobalWafers President Mark England. Moreover, in order to level the global incentive playing field, the impending passage of the US CHIPS Act will be instrumental in ensuring ongoing semiconductor investments of this kind. With the proper level of federal incentives, I can envision the City of Sherman developing into the complete semiconductor ecosystem to fully
support the growing US semiconductor industry.”
About GlobalWafers
GlobalWafers is a multinational corporation, with 17 manufacturing and operation sites located in 9 countries. GlobalWafers has a wholly-owned subsidiary, GlobiTech, located in Sherman, which manufactures silicon carbide and silicon epitaxial wafers focused on power and electric vehicle (EV) market segments. Additionally in the United States, GlobalWafers has a 200-millimeter silicon-on-insulator wafer factory located in St. Peters, Missouri, and is in the process of a 300-millimeter silicon-on-insulator expansion to address burgeoning radio frequency (RF) applications.
View more information about GlobalWafers Co., Ltd
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manman01
29.06.2022 kl 11:06
7621
Så skete det igen
Chinese polysilicon producer shuts down factory due to fire
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/06/29/chinese-polysilicon-producer-shuts-down-factory-due-to-fire/
JUNE 29, 2022
"..
A fire broke out on June 17 at a polysilicon factory run by Chinese manufacturer East Hope, according to Bernreuter Research.
“I don't expect a major disruption because East Hope was already planning for regular maintenance, but a tangible impact was already visible in the polysilicon price increase last week,” polysilicon analyst Johannes Bernreuter told pv magazine. “The actual impact should be a reduction in production output of around 1,500 metric tons (MT).”
This minimal output drop compares to a decline of around 21,000 MW in 2020, when three different accidents occurred at factories owned by Daqo, Xinjiang GCL, and Sichuan Yongxiang (Tongwei).
“So there is at least an order of magnitude difference between the impacts of the East Hope accident in 2022 and the three incidents combined in 2020,” Bernreuter said. “However, the latter occurred at the historically lowest price point, whereas the current situation is characterized by continuing shortage and the highest prices since October 2011. In such an environment, any disturbance increases the nervousness of market participants on the demand side and spurs further price increases.”
.."
Chinese polysilicon producer shuts down factory due to fire
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2022/06/29/chinese-polysilicon-producer-shuts-down-factory-due-to-fire/
JUNE 29, 2022
"..
A fire broke out on June 17 at a polysilicon factory run by Chinese manufacturer East Hope, according to Bernreuter Research.
“I don't expect a major disruption because East Hope was already planning for regular maintenance, but a tangible impact was already visible in the polysilicon price increase last week,” polysilicon analyst Johannes Bernreuter told pv magazine. “The actual impact should be a reduction in production output of around 1,500 metric tons (MT).”
This minimal output drop compares to a decline of around 21,000 MW in 2020, when three different accidents occurred at factories owned by Daqo, Xinjiang GCL, and Sichuan Yongxiang (Tongwei).
“So there is at least an order of magnitude difference between the impacts of the East Hope accident in 2022 and the three incidents combined in 2020,” Bernreuter said. “However, the latter occurred at the historically lowest price point, whereas the current situation is characterized by continuing shortage and the highest prices since October 2011. In such an environment, any disturbance increases the nervousness of market participants on the demand side and spurs further price increases.”
.."
manman01
29.06.2022 kl 11:07
7655
Case Study: Done Deal: Getting Polysilicon Included in the U.S. Trade Deal
https://martinwaymire.com/case-studies/case-study-done-deal-getting-polysilicon-included-in-the-u-s-trade-deal/
JUNE 29, 2022
"
..
Research:
In an effort to regain access to the Chinese market for polysilicon —which represents 92% of world polysilicon demand —three U.S. polysilicon producers, including Hemlock Semiconductor, held a briefing with members of the U.S. House Manufacturing Caucus in Washington D.C.
Martin Waymire worked to develop talking points, a press release, social media posts and infographics for the briefing, and to assist in producing a PowerPoint presentation for the three manufacturers. We conducted thorough research on the history of the Chinese polysilicon tariff and its impact on the U.S. polysilicon industry. Secondary research data on exports and market share was gathered through IHS Markit, BNEF and Energy Trends Chain Reports, as well as Chinese Customs data. Review of past news articles on the trade fight gave us additional insights into how the companies had been harmed. MW also interviewed government affairs officials for the three companies about the political makeup of the House Manufacturing Caucus to understand the audience they would be presenting to.
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"
https://martinwaymire.com/case-studies/case-study-done-deal-getting-polysilicon-included-in-the-u-s-trade-deal/
JUNE 29, 2022
"
..
Research:
In an effort to regain access to the Chinese market for polysilicon —which represents 92% of world polysilicon demand —three U.S. polysilicon producers, including Hemlock Semiconductor, held a briefing with members of the U.S. House Manufacturing Caucus in Washington D.C.
Martin Waymire worked to develop talking points, a press release, social media posts and infographics for the briefing, and to assist in producing a PowerPoint presentation for the three manufacturers. We conducted thorough research on the history of the Chinese polysilicon tariff and its impact on the U.S. polysilicon industry. Secondary research data on exports and market share was gathered through IHS Markit, BNEF and Energy Trends Chain Reports, as well as Chinese Customs data. Review of past news articles on the trade fight gave us additional insights into how the companies had been harmed. MW also interviewed government affairs officials for the three companies about the political makeup of the House Manufacturing Caucus to understand the audience they would be presenting to.
..
"
manman01
29.06.2022 kl 11:08
7723
Fire halts polysilicon production at East Hope for one month
https://www.bernreuter.com/newsroom/polysilicon-news/article/fire-halts-polysilicon-production-at-east-hope-for-one-month/
JUNE 28, 2022
"
..
A fire that broke out at Chinese polysilicon manufacturer East Hope on June 17 is expected to halt production for about one month. According to Chinese media reports, the fire was caused by the leakage of a superheater in the hydrogenation unit of East Hope’s Phase 1 plant, which is located in the Wucaiwan Industrial Park in the Zhundong Economic and Technological Development Zone of Xinjiang in northwestern China.
Through hydrogenation (better known as hydrochlorination in the western world), trichlorosilane (SiHCl3) is produced from silicon metal powder, recycled silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) and hydrogen (H2) in a fluidized bed reactor at high pressure and temperatures between 500 and 550 °C. A five-second video clip of the accident at East Hope on the Chinese news website in-en.com shows a large plume of smoke fuming from the factory.
East Hope says it was planning for regular maintenance anyway; thus, the shortfall of production after the fire would be limited. Provided the approval of the safety supervision agency, the company expects the shutdown to take about one month and to affect the output of 2,500 metric tons (MT) of polysilicon. That apparently refers to the Phase 1 facility’s nominal annual production capacity of 30,000 MT; as the effective capacity is 40,000 MT, however, the shortfall could be higher.
..
"
https://www.bernreuter.com/newsroom/polysilicon-news/article/fire-halts-polysilicon-production-at-east-hope-for-one-month/
JUNE 28, 2022
"
..
A fire that broke out at Chinese polysilicon manufacturer East Hope on June 17 is expected to halt production for about one month. According to Chinese media reports, the fire was caused by the leakage of a superheater in the hydrogenation unit of East Hope’s Phase 1 plant, which is located in the Wucaiwan Industrial Park in the Zhundong Economic and Technological Development Zone of Xinjiang in northwestern China.
Through hydrogenation (better known as hydrochlorination in the western world), trichlorosilane (SiHCl3) is produced from silicon metal powder, recycled silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) and hydrogen (H2) in a fluidized bed reactor at high pressure and temperatures between 500 and 550 °C. A five-second video clip of the accident at East Hope on the Chinese news website in-en.com shows a large plume of smoke fuming from the factory.
East Hope says it was planning for regular maintenance anyway; thus, the shortfall of production after the fire would be limited. Provided the approval of the safety supervision agency, the company expects the shutdown to take about one month and to affect the output of 2,500 metric tons (MT) of polysilicon. That apparently refers to the Phase 1 facility’s nominal annual production capacity of 30,000 MT; as the effective capacity is 40,000 MT, however, the shortfall could be higher.
..
"
https://grist.org/energy/solar-is-one-of-the-cleanest-power-sources-weve-got-but-it-could-be-even-greener/
Jun 21, 2022
There are only four companies that manufacture polysilicon, a critical material for solar panels and semiconductors, in the United States. This spring, one of them got a big influx of cash. In April, a Korean company called Hanwha Solutions announced it had become the largest shareholder of REC Silicon, which can produce 16,000 metric tons of polysilicon annually from a refinery in Washington State—enough to meet more than a quarter of the U.S. solar industry’s demand. Hanwha, which already operates the largest U.S. solar panel factory in Georgia, described the acquisition as part of a plan to “revitalize the U.S. solar market” by creating a made-in-America supply chain from raw materials to finished products.
If that plan is successful, it would not only demonstrate the U.S. is, in fact, able to make solar panels with domestically sourced materials — a key policy goal of the Biden administration. It would also show that polysilicon refining, the most energy-intensive step in solar manufacturing, could be made considerably greener in the process.
In the pantheon of climate solutions, low-carbon polysilicon may not sound particularly sexy. But it has become a hot topic in the world of solar as corporations and governments start thinking seriously about how to drive their emissions all the way to zero, including in the so-called upstream supply chains that provide materials and components for renewable energy. Already, solar photovoltaic, or PV, panels generate among the lowest carbon emissions of any energy source out there over their entire life cycle, including manufacturing. But as the industry grows, even the relatively small emissions associated with manufacturing PV panels could become significant in aggregate, potentially peaking at levels comparable to the current yearly emissions of large industrialized nations like France or Germany.
A recent study found that in a scenario where the world deploys solar rapidly, PV production could lead to 25 to 30 billion tons of cumulative carbon dioxide emissions by the middle of the century, eating up roughly 10 percent of the remaining carbon budget for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). If we don’t rapidly embrace renewables like solar, we have little chance of meeting that climate target. Still, it is possible to increase our odds by cleaning up polysilicon production, which accounts for roughly half of the climate impact of solar PV.
REC Silicon is showing how the industry might do that. The company’s polysilicon production facility in Moses Lake, Washington, uses low-emissions hydropower from the local electric grid, instead of the coal that’s often used to power polysilicon refineries in China. What’s more, instead of using the energy-intensive process to purify silicon that’s standard in the industry, the Moses Lake facility has pioneered the commercialization of an alternative process that REC Silicon claims uses up to 90 percent less energy.
The Moses Lake facility has been closed since 2019 due to Chinese import tariffs that priced the silicon maker out of the solar market. Now, thanks to Hanwha’s investment, REC Silicon has begun the process of bringing the facility back online.
“We have a very stable, low cost of power to produce polysilicon that’s also very low carbon,” REC Silicon CEO James May told Grist. “And that’s what we want to do.”
To understand why polysilicon manufacturing produces emissions, you have to understand how it works. Originating from quartz, a humble, abundant mineral, polysilicon is a highly refined form of silicon that converts sunlight into electrons inside a PV panel. To make it, manufacturers heat quartz in a furnace to produce metallurgical-grade silicon, which is about 99 percent pure. Typically, metallurgical-grade silicon then gets transformed into a gas, which is released into a superheated reactor where it resolidifies onto seed rods as polysilicon, a form of silicon upwards of 99.999999 percent pure. This process, known as the Siemens process, is how more than 95 percent of polysilicon is refined around the world today, according to the clean energy research firm BloombergNEF.
While the Siemens process has been around for decades and is considered the most reliable way to refine polysilicon, it has a downside. As the silicon rods are forming at the center of the reactor, the reactor walls need to be kept cool to prevent the silicon from crystallizing there. Maintaining that temperature difference is “really energy intensive,” Jenny Chase, who heads solar analysis at BloombergNEF, told Grist. To make polysilicon affordably, companies set up their refineries in places with access to cheap and abundant electricity. In China, where 78 percent of global polysilicon production occurred last year, this means regions where the electric grid includes lots of coal.
“Most people are very aware of what happens with solar once it’s put in the field — that it generates zero-carbon electricity,” said Michael Parr, the executive director of the Ultra-Low Carbon Solar Alliance, an industry group focused on driving down emissions across the solar supply chain. “Most people don’t know that upstream, in manufacturing, there can be quite high carbon emissions, particularly in the Chinese supply chain.”
One way for the solar industry to clean up this supply chain is through improvements in manufacturing efficiency. This is already happening: Data shared by BloombergNEF shows that between 2014 and 2019, the amount of electricity needed to refine a kilogram of silicon declined 22 percent. At the same time, the silicon content of solar panels is falling as manufacturers continue to make solar cells — the individual, wafer-like pieces of silicon inside a solar panel — thinner and lighter. And the efficiency of those cells, or their ability to convert sunlight into electricity, is steadily rising.
“The efficiency of the solar cells has improved by about 50 percent in the last 25 years, and amount of silicon we use is cut down by a factor of two or three,” Meng Tao, a solar sustainability researcher at Arizona State University, told Grist.
Greater efficiency means less energy and emissions are expended to manufacture a solar panel. Further climate gains are possible if manufacturers power their operations renewably. Right now, U.S. electric grids tend to be less carbon-intensive than their Chinese counterparts, meaning there’s a good climate case for onshoring the energy-intensive steps like polysilicon production. That hasn’t escaped the Biden administration: In a February report on the solar supply chain, the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, identified ramping up polysilicon refining as the top thing the U.S. could do to secure a stable solar supply chain. Such an industry, the DOE noted, could take advantage of low-emissions hydropower in the Northwest and elsewhere.
“Economics is on our side here,” Garrett Nilsen, acting director of the Solar Energy Technologies Office at DOE, told Grist in an email. “Hydropower is one of the cheapest forms of electricity in the country, so polysilicon producers naturally locate their plants accordingly.” The DOE, he said, is also investing in programs to deploy additional wind and solar power more cheaply around the country, potentially creating new renewable energy hotspots where polysilicon makers could set up shop.
When it comes back online, REC Silicon’s Moses Lake facility will use hydropower produced on Washington State’s Columbia River to produce polysilicon for solar panels. The largest U.S.-based polysilicon manufacturer, Hemlock Semiconductor, produces polysilicon for both the solar and the semiconductor industry in Hemlock, Michigan. There, the electric grid already includes a significant amount of hydroelectric storage capacity, and it’s getting steadily cleaner as the local utility phases out coal and brings more solar energy online. Hemlock solar commercial manager Phil Rausch told Grist that per kilowatt-hour of energy used, the emissions associated with the electricity the company purchases are about half of its competitors’ electricity emissions.
Beyond improvements in manufacturing efficiency and getting power from greener grids, a handful of polysilicon makers have turned to alternative processes that are less energy intensive than the Siemens process. Chief among those is the so-called “fluidized bed reactor,” or FBR, process REC Silicon uses at its Moses Lake facility. Hot, silicon-rich gas is fed into a chamber containing pellets of silicon, which grow in size as more silicon crystallizes on them. Because heat is introduced from outside the reactor, no cooling is required, allowing considerable energy and cost savings, according to May.
Industry experts say it is more difficult to produce ultra-high-purity polysilicon with FBR technology compared with the Siemens process, limiting its adoption in the industry. Rausch of Hemlock said that his company investigated the FBR process “extensively” over the last decade but ultimately determined that the polysilicon it produced “did not meet the needs of the industry.” May, however, is confident that REC Silicon can use the method to make polysilicon that meets the increasingly stringent purity requirements of solar manufacturers thanks to a series of recent upgrades to its Moses Lake facility.
Jun 21, 2022
There are only four companies that manufacture polysilicon, a critical material for solar panels and semiconductors, in the United States. This spring, one of them got a big influx of cash. In April, a Korean company called Hanwha Solutions announced it had become the largest shareholder of REC Silicon, which can produce 16,000 metric tons of polysilicon annually from a refinery in Washington State—enough to meet more than a quarter of the U.S. solar industry’s demand. Hanwha, which already operates the largest U.S. solar panel factory in Georgia, described the acquisition as part of a plan to “revitalize the U.S. solar market” by creating a made-in-America supply chain from raw materials to finished products.
If that plan is successful, it would not only demonstrate the U.S. is, in fact, able to make solar panels with domestically sourced materials — a key policy goal of the Biden administration. It would also show that polysilicon refining, the most energy-intensive step in solar manufacturing, could be made considerably greener in the process.
In the pantheon of climate solutions, low-carbon polysilicon may not sound particularly sexy. But it has become a hot topic in the world of solar as corporations and governments start thinking seriously about how to drive their emissions all the way to zero, including in the so-called upstream supply chains that provide materials and components for renewable energy. Already, solar photovoltaic, or PV, panels generate among the lowest carbon emissions of any energy source out there over their entire life cycle, including manufacturing. But as the industry grows, even the relatively small emissions associated with manufacturing PV panels could become significant in aggregate, potentially peaking at levels comparable to the current yearly emissions of large industrialized nations like France or Germany.
A recent study found that in a scenario where the world deploys solar rapidly, PV production could lead to 25 to 30 billion tons of cumulative carbon dioxide emissions by the middle of the century, eating up roughly 10 percent of the remaining carbon budget for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). If we don’t rapidly embrace renewables like solar, we have little chance of meeting that climate target. Still, it is possible to increase our odds by cleaning up polysilicon production, which accounts for roughly half of the climate impact of solar PV.
REC Silicon is showing how the industry might do that. The company’s polysilicon production facility in Moses Lake, Washington, uses low-emissions hydropower from the local electric grid, instead of the coal that’s often used to power polysilicon refineries in China. What’s more, instead of using the energy-intensive process to purify silicon that’s standard in the industry, the Moses Lake facility has pioneered the commercialization of an alternative process that REC Silicon claims uses up to 90 percent less energy.
The Moses Lake facility has been closed since 2019 due to Chinese import tariffs that priced the silicon maker out of the solar market. Now, thanks to Hanwha’s investment, REC Silicon has begun the process of bringing the facility back online.
“We have a very stable, low cost of power to produce polysilicon that’s also very low carbon,” REC Silicon CEO James May told Grist. “And that’s what we want to do.”
To understand why polysilicon manufacturing produces emissions, you have to understand how it works. Originating from quartz, a humble, abundant mineral, polysilicon is a highly refined form of silicon that converts sunlight into electrons inside a PV panel. To make it, manufacturers heat quartz in a furnace to produce metallurgical-grade silicon, which is about 99 percent pure. Typically, metallurgical-grade silicon then gets transformed into a gas, which is released into a superheated reactor where it resolidifies onto seed rods as polysilicon, a form of silicon upwards of 99.999999 percent pure. This process, known as the Siemens process, is how more than 95 percent of polysilicon is refined around the world today, according to the clean energy research firm BloombergNEF.
While the Siemens process has been around for decades and is considered the most reliable way to refine polysilicon, it has a downside. As the silicon rods are forming at the center of the reactor, the reactor walls need to be kept cool to prevent the silicon from crystallizing there. Maintaining that temperature difference is “really energy intensive,” Jenny Chase, who heads solar analysis at BloombergNEF, told Grist. To make polysilicon affordably, companies set up their refineries in places with access to cheap and abundant electricity. In China, where 78 percent of global polysilicon production occurred last year, this means regions where the electric grid includes lots of coal.
“Most people are very aware of what happens with solar once it’s put in the field — that it generates zero-carbon electricity,” said Michael Parr, the executive director of the Ultra-Low Carbon Solar Alliance, an industry group focused on driving down emissions across the solar supply chain. “Most people don’t know that upstream, in manufacturing, there can be quite high carbon emissions, particularly in the Chinese supply chain.”
One way for the solar industry to clean up this supply chain is through improvements in manufacturing efficiency. This is already happening: Data shared by BloombergNEF shows that between 2014 and 2019, the amount of electricity needed to refine a kilogram of silicon declined 22 percent. At the same time, the silicon content of solar panels is falling as manufacturers continue to make solar cells — the individual, wafer-like pieces of silicon inside a solar panel — thinner and lighter. And the efficiency of those cells, or their ability to convert sunlight into electricity, is steadily rising.
“The efficiency of the solar cells has improved by about 50 percent in the last 25 years, and amount of silicon we use is cut down by a factor of two or three,” Meng Tao, a solar sustainability researcher at Arizona State University, told Grist.
Greater efficiency means less energy and emissions are expended to manufacture a solar panel. Further climate gains are possible if manufacturers power their operations renewably. Right now, U.S. electric grids tend to be less carbon-intensive than their Chinese counterparts, meaning there’s a good climate case for onshoring the energy-intensive steps like polysilicon production. That hasn’t escaped the Biden administration: In a February report on the solar supply chain, the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, identified ramping up polysilicon refining as the top thing the U.S. could do to secure a stable solar supply chain. Such an industry, the DOE noted, could take advantage of low-emissions hydropower in the Northwest and elsewhere.
“Economics is on our side here,” Garrett Nilsen, acting director of the Solar Energy Technologies Office at DOE, told Grist in an email. “Hydropower is one of the cheapest forms of electricity in the country, so polysilicon producers naturally locate their plants accordingly.” The DOE, he said, is also investing in programs to deploy additional wind and solar power more cheaply around the country, potentially creating new renewable energy hotspots where polysilicon makers could set up shop.
When it comes back online, REC Silicon’s Moses Lake facility will use hydropower produced on Washington State’s Columbia River to produce polysilicon for solar panels. The largest U.S.-based polysilicon manufacturer, Hemlock Semiconductor, produces polysilicon for both the solar and the semiconductor industry in Hemlock, Michigan. There, the electric grid already includes a significant amount of hydroelectric storage capacity, and it’s getting steadily cleaner as the local utility phases out coal and brings more solar energy online. Hemlock solar commercial manager Phil Rausch told Grist that per kilowatt-hour of energy used, the emissions associated with the electricity the company purchases are about half of its competitors’ electricity emissions.
Beyond improvements in manufacturing efficiency and getting power from greener grids, a handful of polysilicon makers have turned to alternative processes that are less energy intensive than the Siemens process. Chief among those is the so-called “fluidized bed reactor,” or FBR, process REC Silicon uses at its Moses Lake facility. Hot, silicon-rich gas is fed into a chamber containing pellets of silicon, which grow in size as more silicon crystallizes on them. Because heat is introduced from outside the reactor, no cooling is required, allowing considerable energy and cost savings, according to May.
Industry experts say it is more difficult to produce ultra-high-purity polysilicon with FBR technology compared with the Siemens process, limiting its adoption in the industry. Rausch of Hemlock said that his company investigated the FBR process “extensively” over the last decade but ultimately determined that the polysilicon it produced “did not meet the needs of the industry.” May, however, is confident that REC Silicon can use the method to make polysilicon that meets the increasingly stringent purity requirements of solar manufacturers thanks to a series of recent upgrades to its Moses Lake facility.
Parr of the Ultra-Low Carbon Solar Alliance is cautiously optimistic. FBR “is a more difficult technology to get better purity from,” he said, but REC Silicon has spent years improving its process. “I think like any technology, it takes a while to perfect it, but it is inherently lower energy, lower carbon technology, so that’s promising.”
Any polysilicon maker that can deliver a greener product — whether that’s due to more efficient production methods or cleaner power sources — is likely to have a growing advantage in the solar market as companies or governments start paying more attention to supply chain emissions.
“We’re already seeing the downstream buyer becoming much more sensitive to the embodied carbon in the supply chain,” Rausch said. As an example, he notes that several years back, when France began taking the carbon footprint of solar panels into account in its public procurement process for clean energy, companies buying polysilicon from Hemlock started doing better in that market. New labeling schemes, like an eco-label for solar that the Global Electronics Council is developing in partnership with the Ultra-Low Carbon Solar Alliance, are likely to drive further interest in clean polysilicon.
Efforts to make solar manufacturing more sustainable shouldn’t detract from the need to deploy solar power as quickly as possible, says Garvin Heath, an energy sustainability researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL. Across the entire life cycle, NREL researchers have found that solar PV already generates 10 to 20 times lower carbon emissions than fossil fuel energy sources like gas and coal. Solar is already a critical tool for fighting climate change, regardless of manufacturing emissions.
At the same time, the industry should do everything in its power to keep its emissions as low as possible, considering how little carbon we have left in the bank to avoid crossing dangerous climate thresholds.
“We shouldn’t stop deploying PV because we want to make it better,” Heath said. “We should deploy as much as possible and make it better.”
Any polysilicon maker that can deliver a greener product — whether that’s due to more efficient production methods or cleaner power sources — is likely to have a growing advantage in the solar market as companies or governments start paying more attention to supply chain emissions.
“We’re already seeing the downstream buyer becoming much more sensitive to the embodied carbon in the supply chain,” Rausch said. As an example, he notes that several years back, when France began taking the carbon footprint of solar panels into account in its public procurement process for clean energy, companies buying polysilicon from Hemlock started doing better in that market. New labeling schemes, like an eco-label for solar that the Global Electronics Council is developing in partnership with the Ultra-Low Carbon Solar Alliance, are likely to drive further interest in clean polysilicon.
Efforts to make solar manufacturing more sustainable shouldn’t detract from the need to deploy solar power as quickly as possible, says Garvin Heath, an energy sustainability researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL. Across the entire life cycle, NREL researchers have found that solar PV already generates 10 to 20 times lower carbon emissions than fossil fuel energy sources like gas and coal. Solar is already a critical tool for fighting climate change, regardless of manufacturing emissions.
At the same time, the industry should do everything in its power to keep its emissions as low as possible, considering how little carbon we have left in the bank to avoid crossing dangerous climate thresholds.
“We shouldn’t stop deploying PV because we want to make it better,” Heath said. “We should deploy as much as possible and make it better.”