Broschu?re_PVC2_09_engl:Layout 1 12.09.2003 12:39 Uhr Seite 16 UK PV Crystalox Solar PLC Brook House 174 Milton Park Abingdon Oxfordshire OX14 4SE United Kingdom Tel. +44 (0)1235 43 71 60 [email protected] Germany PV Silicon GmbH Wilhelm-Wolff-Straße 25 D-99099 Erfurt Germany Tel.: +49 (0)3 61-600 85 900 [email protected] PV Crystalox Solar Silicon GmbH OT Bitterfeld Alu-Straße 5 06749 Bitterfeld-Wolfen Germany Tel +49 (0)3 49-3 34 56 100 [email protected] Japan Photo credits: p. 2/3, 12 (left): DUO Werbung & Design GmbH, all other photos: PV Crystalox Solar Crystalox PV GmbH, all other photos: & Design DUO Werbung 12 (left): 2/3, p. credits: Photo PV Crystalox Solar K.K. 21FL Atago Green Hills MORI Tower the key to solar power 2-5-1 Atago Minato-ku Tokyo 105-6221 Japan Tel. +81 3 5776 0370 [email protected] Broschu?re_PVC2_09_engl:Layout 1 12.09.2003 12:38 Uhr Seite 2 Photovoltaics – Power from the Sun Photovoltaics The term photovoltaic describes the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity using solar cells. The most important material for producing high- performance solar cells is crystalline silicon. In fact, over 90% of all solar cells produced today are made from single crystal or multicrystalline silicon. Around the world, thin wafers of silicon are processed into solar cells which are then integrated to create larger modules and arrays with outputs from a few watts to multi-megawatts. These modules are capable of silently generating solar electricity on a de- centralised basis without transmission losses, moving parts or harmful emissions of CO2 or other pollutants. Solar cells made of crystalline silicon have a life expectancy far in excess of 25 years and recover the production energy required to manufacture them many times over in an environmentally friendly and effective way. No other semiconductor in the photovoltaic (PV) industry is as benign as silicon and no Solar power for Generations other achieves such high efficiency so cost effectively. Silicon has a further great advantage acceptance of photovoltaics has been generate electricity to be fed into the over other semiconductor materials; the relatively high costs involved. Now, public grid or in microgrids for electri- it is derived from sand, a substance however, solar energy is increasingly fication in rural areas, solar electricity that is available in abundant quantities gaining in importance in industrialised offers benefits to people all over the all around the world. Accordingly, nations. Global warming and environ- world. there will never be a shortage of mental concerns as well as the looming silicon available for PV applications, shortage of fossil fuels are spurring Solar electricity is increasingly de - so ensuring sustainable electricity this trend, while mass production in veloping into a key technology for the supplies for future generations. the photovoltaic industry will deliver 21st century and is expected to play further reductions in the cost of solar a crucial role in global electricity In remote locations without grid electricity. production within a few years. The connections, PV installations have been impressive worldwide annual growth economically viable for many years, The opportunities for growth in the rates in the PV market of over 30% in providing millions of people with a photovoltaics industry are excellent recent years testify to the emergence cost effective source of electricity. with countless applications for solar of the solar era. The main barrier to the universal power. Whether used on roofs to 2 3 Broschu?re_PVC2_09_engl:Layout 1 12.09.2003 12:38 Uhr Seite 4 PV Crystalox Solar PLC Milestones PV Crystalox Solar PLC it is one of the As the relationship between Crystalox Group Structure and Activities PV Crystalox Solar PLC leading independent pure-play manu- and PV Silicon strengthened, the two Abingdon, UK facturers of multicrystalline silicon companies merged to form the PV PV Crystalox Solar PLC consists of the 1982 Crystalox Ltd. established wafers for solar cell production. Due to Crystalox Solar Group in 2002. solar-grade silicon production facility 1994 Management buy-out our technological lead, we have been PV Crystalox Solar Silicon GmbH in 1997 PV Silicon incorporated playing a decisive role in the photo- In the same year, the sales division Bitterfeld, the ingot and block pro - 1999 Strategic partnership voltaic industry since 1990. PV Crystalox Japan K.K. was founded duc tion at Crystalox Ltd in Abingdon, Crystalox/PV Silicon to further improve relationships with the distributor PV Crystalox Japan K.K. 2002 Foundation of Crystalox Initially established in 1982, the Group customers in Asia. in Tokyo, and the silicon wafer pro- PV Crystalox Solar Crystalox PV Crystalox Japan PV Silicon Japan K.K. was one of the first to develop multi- duction at PV Silicon GmbH in Erfurt, Silicon GmbH Ltd. K.K. GmbH Merger Crystalox/PV Silicon, crystalline silicon technology on an In June 2007 the company made a Germany. Bitterfeld, Germany Abingdon, UK Tokyo, Japan Erfurt, Germany forming PV Crystalox Solar industrial scale, setting the in dustry successful debut on the London Stock Silicon Ingots/Blocks Sales, Japan Wafers Group standard for ingot production. Exchange raising additional funds for 2004 Leading multicrystalline in-house polysilicon production and to silicon ingot producer During the 1990s, Crystalox developed further expand its international busi- world-wide and manufactured equipment for the ness. 2006 Decision to build silicon industrial production of multicrystalline production plant silicon ingots and developed into one One of the most important milestones PV Crystalox Solar PLC of the technology leaders in this area. for the Group was the investment in Sales development in million € Key Data established PV Silicon was founded in 1997 in our polysilicon manufacturing facility Number of employees 2007 IPO on London Stock Erfurt, Germany and developed the in Bitterfeld, Germany. Construction Over the past six years, our company Exchange in June 2007 first generation of wire saws, together commenced in autumn 2007, was 350 has increased revenues more than 2008 Foundation of PV Crystalox with an equipment manufacturer. completed at the end of 2008 and 323 four-fold, from €62 million in 2002 to Solar Silicon GmbH In 1999, Crystalox entered into a polysilicon production commenced in €274 million in 2008. This success 2009 Production of polysilicon at strategic partnership with PV Silicon. summer of 2009. 300 282 has been achieved by an internationally Bitterfeld plant commences 274 experienced management team backed 263 by more than 320 highly-qualified and 250 242 motivated employees in Germany, the UK and Japan. 202 199 200 181 183 165 150 130 98 100 81 62 50 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 5 Broschu?re_PVC2_09_engl:Layout 1 12.09.2003 12:38 Uhr Seite 6 Our Products and Technologies Silicon processing technology Device technology Solar grade silicon Ingots Wafers Solar Cells Modules PV Systems The Photovoltaic Process Chain The full process chain in the photo- voltaic industry starts with the produc- tion of the high-purity polysilicon raw material, melting and crystallisation of silicon to produce ingots, cutting of ingots into blocks and sawing of these blocks into wafers. Using semiconductor processing tech- nology, silicon wafers are transformed into solar cells, linked together and laminated between plastic film and Solar-grade silicon production plant, Bitterfeld glass to form durable modules which Solar-grade Silicon Production typically have up to 240W electrical power output. Modules are installed Located in the Chemical Park of Evonik Degussa GmbH, a wholly owned a pipeline. In our silicon production on roofs or building facades by system Bitterfeld, Germany, the region with subsidiary of Evonik Industries AG, was plant it is de composed in chemical integrators, or arranged in open-spaces one of the largest chemical production partner in the design and successful reactors at high temperature to form to form solar farms with multi-mega- sites in Europe, the Group’s new solar construction of the plant and will sup- high purity polysilicon. When converted watt output. silicon plant has a current production ply PV Crystalox Solar with the high into multicrystalline ingots, the quality capacity of 1,800 metric tons polysili- purity raw material chlorosilane in a of the material has proved to be PV Crystalox Solar focuses on the con per annum, with the potential for fence to fence operation. consistent with production using poly- first three major stages concerned up to three-fold expansion. This facility silicon from the well established silicon with silicon processing technologies, is unique in Europe, being the first to The production of solar grade poly- manufacturers. areas in which we possess extensive use a modification of the well-known silicon requires low grade metallurgical expertise and experience. Siemens production process, operations silicon as a raw material, of which more being simplified and optimised for the than 1 million tons per year are produ- High purity solar-grade silicon nugget exclusive production of solar grade ced, primarily for the steel and alumi- polysilicon with advantageous produc- nium industries. Metallurgical grade tion costs. silicon is converted into gaseous chlorosilane, purified through repeated distillation and supplied to us through 6 7 Broschu?re_PVC2_09_engl:Layout 1 12.09.2003 12:39 Uhr Seite 8 Our Products and