RUSNANO enters Russia’s first large-scale polycrystalline silicon project
Release Date: 2009-03-16
The Supervisory Council of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies has approved the institution participation in a project aiming to construct Russia's first large-scale complex producing polycrystalline silicon and monosilane. Polycrystalline silicon is used as the basis for almost 90% of all solar cells produced worldwide. Monosilane is widely used in microelectronics and increasingly in photovoltaics for preparing thin-film solar modules.
The total amount of RUSNANO’s investment in the project is set at 7.5 billion rubles: 3 billion rubles will be offered in the form of guarantees and 4.5 billion via a long-term loan. The loan will be made available in the first and second quarters of 2009. The loan and resources obtained under guarantee will be directed to completing the facilities for the production of polysilicon. Alfa Bank is to be a partner in the project, granting credit to finance the companies’ current needs, and attracting the financial resources under the RUSNANO guarantee.
The high technology production complex is to be created under the auspices of NITOL enterprises: Usoliye-Sibirskiy Silicon and Usoliekhimprom, located in Usolie-Sibirskoe, Irkutsk region. The first stage of production was launched in December 2008 with 300 tons of output per year in test mode. The core operations with output of 3500 tons per year are set to be running by the end of 2009. The monosilane production with a total yearly output of 200 tons to be reached will be started stage by stage.
The new production complex will set up a raw-material base for further development of Russian microelectronics, and it will also become an essential step on the way to forming a new sector of Russian industry - solar energy generation. The project will contribute to the implementation of tasks stated by the government of Russian Federation to increase the amount of renewable resources in producing electricity and guarantee the thrifty use of energy resources.
Polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) is the main semiconductor material used in contemporary microelectronics and industrial energy production, solar energy generation and micromechanics. Polycrystalline silicon is used as the basis for almost 90% of all solar cells produced worldwide. The main producers of polycrystalline silicon are the USA, Japan, Germany and Italy.
Solar energy generation (photovoltaics) is one of the most rapidly-growing sectors in global industry. Average annual growth rates are more than 30%.
| Type: | NORMAL |