Japan begins solar-grade silicon production home >  pv power >  issue 13 >
Last updated: 12 October 2000

Rapidly expanding global demand, for PV has raised concerns that silicon scrapped by the semiconductor industry will soon be insufficient to satisfy the solar industry's needs.

Since 1996 SOGA, Japan's Solargrade silicon Technology Research Association, with assistance from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), has been working to avert a silicon shortfall. The main technological problems have now been addressed and production has recently commenced at a 60 ton per year pilot manufacturing facility.

Kawasaki Steel Corp., one of the main partners in the project, will start full-scale production in early 2001, with an initial output of 200 t/year. SOGA has been aiming for a SOG-Si production cost of JPY 2 300 per kg. The new solar-specific material is expected to be very competitive with current scrap silicon price.

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