RUSNANO and the Savings Bank to invest in polysilicon production

RUSNANO JSC together with the Savings Bunk of Russia will invest more than 4 B RUR in 2012 in the production of polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) in the Irkutsk region. RIA Novosti reports on it referring to Mikhail Astakhov, the General Director of Usolye-Siberian Silicon LLC (USS) - the company implementing this project.

To date, more than 10 B RUR were invested in the project. Planned revenues of the current year will complete the basic work on the project. Further, we plan to develop at our own expense, - he said.

In early March 2012 the USS launched hydrogen production system, the raw material for production of trichlorosilane from which, in turn, polysilicon is reduced. Existing capacities will produce 2.4 tons of polysilicon per year, which the company intends to reach in June 2012. The full capacity of 5000 tons is to be reached by the USS after the launch of the second production line in 2013.

According to Astakhov, the main polycrystalline silicon markets are in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, the United States. The company plans joining the Russian electronic security project and participation in the federal target program Development of the Russian electronic components base, aimed at creating new domestic industry in microelectronics.

Earlier it was reported that the Usolye-Siberian Silicon project restructuring to create a large-scale complex producing polycrystalline silicon and monosilane in the Irkutsk region is to be completed in the second quarter of 2012.

High-tech industrial complex is created on the basis of the Nitol company enterprises - Usolye Siberian silicone LLC and Usoliekhimprom LLC, located in Usolie-Sibirskoe, the Irkutsk region.

In December 2008 the first test mode polysilicon production line with the capacity 300 tons per year was launched. Silane production launch will be implemented step by step; the total capacity will reach 200 tons per year.

The new production complex will create a resource base for the further development of Russian microelectronics, and will be a significant step towards the formation of a new branch of Russian industry - solar energy.

Polycrystalline silicon is the basic semiconductor used in modern microelectronics and power electronics, solar energy, micromechanics. Almost 90% of all solar cells in the world are produced on the basis of the PCS. The main polysilicon production capacities are in the U.S., Japan, Germany and Italy.

Monosilane is widely used in microelectronics and is increasingly applied in photo-voltaic for manufacturing thin-film solar modules.

Solar energy (PV) is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global industry. The average annual growth rate comprises more than 30%.