ersol Solar Energy AG (ersol) and the Russian NITOL Group today – on the day of ersol's Annual General Meeting – signed a letter of intent (LOI) for the supply of polysilicon through 2012. This cooperation could result in an additional production volume of about 140 MWp over a four-year period for ersol.
"This additional raw material would be a further step towards the continuous expansion of our capacities. Our strategic goal is to expand our nominal capacity to 500 MWp by 2012", explained Jürgen Pressl, the Management Board member responsible for the ersol segments Silicon and Wafers, after the signing of the LOI.
NITOL is located at a site for silicon production in Siberia with a low cost potential. The Russian Group already has trichlorsilane production facilities. This method converts metallurgic silicon into volatile trichlorsilane, which, after cleaning (distillation), serves as the base material for the subsequent deposition of highly pure polysilicon in the Siemens reactor. This manufacturing process is also used by other silicon producers.
"If the comprehensive material testing of the produced polysilicon, which is planned for 2008, is successful, Nitol could make a significant contribution to the cost-efficient supply of raw materials for the solar cell production of the ersol Group in subsequent years", Pressl stated.
NITOL's CEO Dimitry Kotenko concluded, "We consider ersol Group as a long-term strategic customer and partner. Nitol team will contribute to foster cooperation between our companies."
"This additional raw material would be a further step towards the continuous expansion of our capacities. Our strategic goal is to expand our nominal capacity to 500 MWp by 2012", explained Jürgen Pressl, the Management Board member responsible for the ersol segments Silicon and Wafers, after the signing of the LOI.
NITOL is located at a site for silicon production in Siberia with a low cost potential. The Russian Group already has trichlorsilane production facilities. This method converts metallurgic silicon into volatile trichlorsilane, which, after cleaning (distillation), serves as the base material for the subsequent deposition of highly pure polysilicon in the Siemens reactor. This manufacturing process is also used by other silicon producers.
"If the comprehensive material testing of the produced polysilicon, which is planned for 2008, is successful, Nitol could make a significant contribution to the cost-efficient supply of raw materials for the solar cell production of the ersol Group in subsequent years", Pressl stated.
NITOL's CEO Dimitry Kotenko concluded, "We consider ersol Group as a long-term strategic customer and partner. Nitol team will contribute to foster cooperation between our companies."
