PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference, the world's leading event on solargrade silicon, will take place on April 27, 2010, in Stuttgart, Germany. The event will provide the latest update on this crucial upstream part of the PV sector that has been facing several challenges in the last few months:
- Price drops: Silicon prices dropped from over $500 per kg in 2008 to $53 per kg in February 2010 - that's even below contract prices of $54 per kg
- UMG-Si: Mass production of lowcost solar cells made from upgraded metallurgicalgrade silicon has yet to take place
- Delays: Several silicon startups have missed their original targets due to problems securing financing and/or technical challenges
In 2010/2011, the silicon world is set to change and at least one company is using a technology other than Siemens reactors for its expansion:
- Leadership: The world's biggest solar silicon company, Hemlock, is likely to defend its No. 1 position
- Geographical changes: Some relatively new Asian silicon producers are entering the top ranks; OCI from Korea, for example, looks like it will become the world's second largest silicon producer soon
- Integration: Big Chinese wafer/cell/module manufacturers have successfully started internal silicon production
- Technologies: REC has launched commercial production of its fluidizedbed reactor (FBR) technology
At PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference, we've once again invited the world's premier silicon suppliers to discuss supply and demand, prices, and production technologies, aiming to answer the following questions:
- Does it make sense to sign longterm contracts at times when silicon is available at spot prices that are lower than contract prices?
- With demand for solar systems picking up considerably, how will the ratio of supply and demand change for silicon?
- When should mid- and upstream PV companies start their own silicon production?
- Is there any need to look at UMG-Si or other potential breakthrough technologies?
To take a look at the conference agenda, please go to: http://www.photon-expo.com/...
Who should attend:
PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference is the global platform for discussion on the latest on silicon feedstock for the PV industry. It addresses executives, technologists, and sales and marketing experts from silicon suppliers and silicon users, such as ingot/wafer/cell manufacturers.
Registration:
For registration, please go to: www.photon-expo.com/... Registration for PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference includes conference entry on April 27, food and beverages during the event, and conference documentation, as well as access to the event party on April 28. The registration fee is 740 euros (PHOTON International subscribers pay just 640 euros).
Further events:
The 8th Solar Silicon Conference on April 27 is one of a series of six conferences (Solar Silicon, PV Inverters, PV Investors, c-Si Production Equipment, Thin-Film Production Equipment, Solar Electric Utilities). A 10percent discount applies when purchasing tickets for three or more conferences. All prices are before taxes
The 8th Solar Silicon Conference will be held in conjunction with PHOTON's Photovoltaic Technology Show 2010 Europe, a trade fair for companies offering manufacturing equipment, material needed for producing solar silicon, ingots, wafers, cells and solar modules, final products all along the value chain, and BOS components (http://www.photon-expo.com/...).
I look forward to seeing you at the 8th Solar Silicon Conference in Stuttgart.
- Price drops: Silicon prices dropped from over $500 per kg in 2008 to $53 per kg in February 2010 - that's even below contract prices of $54 per kg
- UMG-Si: Mass production of lowcost solar cells made from upgraded metallurgicalgrade silicon has yet to take place
- Delays: Several silicon startups have missed their original targets due to problems securing financing and/or technical challenges
In 2010/2011, the silicon world is set to change and at least one company is using a technology other than Siemens reactors for its expansion:
- Leadership: The world's biggest solar silicon company, Hemlock, is likely to defend its No. 1 position
- Geographical changes: Some relatively new Asian silicon producers are entering the top ranks; OCI from Korea, for example, looks like it will become the world's second largest silicon producer soon
- Integration: Big Chinese wafer/cell/module manufacturers have successfully started internal silicon production
- Technologies: REC has launched commercial production of its fluidizedbed reactor (FBR) technology
At PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference, we've once again invited the world's premier silicon suppliers to discuss supply and demand, prices, and production technologies, aiming to answer the following questions:
- Does it make sense to sign longterm contracts at times when silicon is available at spot prices that are lower than contract prices?
- With demand for solar systems picking up considerably, how will the ratio of supply and demand change for silicon?
- When should mid- and upstream PV companies start their own silicon production?
- Is there any need to look at UMG-Si or other potential breakthrough technologies?
To take a look at the conference agenda, please go to: http://www.photon-expo.com/...
Who should attend:
PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference is the global platform for discussion on the latest on silicon feedstock for the PV industry. It addresses executives, technologists, and sales and marketing experts from silicon suppliers and silicon users, such as ingot/wafer/cell manufacturers.
Registration:
For registration, please go to: www.photon-expo.com/... Registration for PHOTON's 8th Solar Silicon Conference includes conference entry on April 27, food and beverages during the event, and conference documentation, as well as access to the event party on April 28. The registration fee is 740 euros (PHOTON International subscribers pay just 640 euros).
Further events:
The 8th Solar Silicon Conference on April 27 is one of a series of six conferences (Solar Silicon, PV Inverters, PV Investors, c-Si Production Equipment, Thin-Film Production Equipment, Solar Electric Utilities). A 10percent discount applies when purchasing tickets for three or more conferences. All prices are before taxes
The 8th Solar Silicon Conference will be held in conjunction with PHOTON's Photovoltaic Technology Show 2010 Europe, a trade fair for companies offering manufacturing equipment, material needed for producing solar silicon, ingots, wafers, cells and solar modules, final products all along the value chain, and BOS components (http://www.photon-expo.com/...).
I look forward to seeing you at the 8th Solar Silicon Conference in Stuttgart.
