Air Liquide, a world leader in gases for industry, health and the environment, on December 21st, 2009 announced the recent signature of thirteen new contracts with crystalline-Silicon (c-Si) solar cell manufacturers in China. The company believes that its expanded supply to Chinese market leaders JA Solar and Yingli Green Energy confirms its leading position in the photovoltaic (PV) market.

Air Liquide plans to invest more than 10 million Euros (14.4 million US-dollars) to meet the needs of these customers. The company reports that it is now the carrier gases and specialty gases supplier of China's number two and number three manufacturers, who have a combined capacity of 1,400 megawatt peak (MWp).

Company supplies top three Chinese c-Si PV manufacturers with gases

According to the press release, the company is to supply JA Solar's solar cell production fabs in the Jiangsu and Hebei provinces and Yingli's solar cell and poly-silicon facilities in the Baoding Photovoltaic park in Hebei. The company reports that China is the world's leading manufacturer of solar cells, hosting around 35 % of total world capacity. Recently, the Chinese government announced a target of 20 gigawatt peak (GWp) power installed by 2020. Air Liquide reports that it now partners with China's three main solar cell manufacturers, since it already supplies Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., the largest c-Si producer in China.

Supply agreements confirm PV market position

Air Liquide also reported that it was recently awarded various new long-term contracts for the supply of carrier and specialty gases in Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hebei. The company is to partner with Jinko Solar, Sunflower and DelSolar, as well as with eight other new c-Si fabs under construction, for a total combined new manufacturing capacity of above 1,300 MWp per year. In light of the latest contracts, Air Liquide supplies more than 100 solar cell manufacturing companies around the world, with an overall c-Si capacity above 10 GWp per year. Francisco Martins, Vice-President World Business Line Electronics of the Air Liquide Group, said: "We are pleased to have been chosen to supply the three largest solar cell manufacturers in China. This confirms our ability to supply added-value gases and turnkey solutions to this industry. These recent contracts reinforce our leading position in this fast-changing industry. The photovoltaic activity is at the crossroads of Energy and the Environment, two growth drivers for the Air Liquide Group."

2009-12-30 | Courtesy: Air Liquide Group | solarserver.com © Heindl Server GmbH