Evonik opens German solar silicon JV plant

08 August 2008 14:50  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS news)--Evonik Industries has officially opened its new joint-venture solar silicon plant in Rheinfelden, Germany, with an initial annual capacity of 850 tonnes/year, and aims to boost the push for alternative green energy, the specialty chemicals major said on Friday.

 

“With the opening of the plant, Evonik Industries is answering the worldwide demand to increase the share of alternative energies further, such as solar energy, in power generation,” said Evonik executive board member Alfred Oberholz.

 

The joint solar silicon (JSSI) plant, a joint venture with Germany’s SolarWorld, used processes that yielded energy savings of up to 90%, compared with conventional solar silicon production, Evonik said.

 

Germany’s government welcomed the investment.

 

“It’s good that photovoltaics are taking us out of the niche and into comprehensive industrial added value,” said Michael Muller, parliamentary state secretary at the federal environment ministry.

 

Evonik’s photovoltaics and solar investments also included projects in France and in Bitterfeld, Germany, it added.

 

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By: Stefan Baumgarten
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