Japan Solar Silicon Raises Initial Polycrystalline Si Output to 660T/Y

Japan Solar Silicon, a joint venture company co-established by Nippon Mining & Metals, Toho Titanium and Chisso Corporation, announced on Tuesday the JV company starts commercial production of polycrystalline silicon for photovoltaic use in fiscal 2010 (Apr10-Mar09) with an initial capacity at 660 tonnes per year. The JV company originally planned to start the production at 400-tonne annual capacity but revised up the output plan to meet strong demand.

The plant is under construction inside Kashima Complex, Ibaraki, Japan. The plant will start commercial operation at an initial capacity of 660 tonnes per year, raising the capacity to 1,500 tonnes per year in the first half of fiscal 2011 and 3,000 tonnes per year in the first half of fiscal 2012.

The capacity expansion is scheduled to reach 4,500 tonnes per year in the first half of fiscal 2013, originally planned at 3,000 tonnes. Capital expenditure for the output expansion will increase to 30 billion yen from initially planned 24 billion yen.

Photovoltaic power generation is rapidly spreading mainly in Europe. The introduction is expected to expand in other countries such as Japan, USA, South Korea, Singapore, China and India. Japan Solar Silicon aims to expand its polycrystalline silicon production to 10,000 tonnes per year in future to meet strong demand.

Japan Solar Silicon is controlled by Nippon Mining Group with 50% shares (30% held by Nippon Mining & Metals and 20% by Toho Titanium) and Chisso Corporation with 50% shares.