Saudi IPC awards polysilicon plant contract
Jeddah, November 26, 2012
Saudi-based Idea Polysilicon Company (IPC), a top integrated polysilicon and solar wafers firm, said it has signed an agreement with Technip E&C to provide project management and engineering services for its upcoming project in Yanbu Industrial City.
Technip E&C is a leader in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry.
Once completed, the project will be the largest manufacturing facility for the production of high-purity polysilicon with a total capacity of 10,000 tons per annum, of which 4000 tons will be converted to solar wafers.
The contract was signed by Dr Basel Abu Sharkh, the managing director of IDEA Polysilicon Company and David Humphries, the sales vice president of Technip E&C Limited in Al khobar.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Basel said: "By producing polysilicon and wafers, the IPC project will unlock the photovoltaic solar energy industrial value chain in Saudi that starts with polysilicon and ends with kilo watt hours that will contribute to meeting the growing demand for electricity in the Kingdom.”
“Studies conducted with international consultants indicate that Saudi is the most competitive manufacturing location for PV solar energy and that having an integrated manufacturing value chain will allow PV solar energy to be produced locally at a viable cost," he stated.
Dr Basel said this agreement embodies the common objectives between IPC and Technip Engineering, which aims at benefiting from the expertise of Technip in the field of engineering services and project management, especially after Technip’s acquisition of the chemical and energy divisions of Shaw, which will enhance the engineering services capabilities of Technip.
The new industrial complex will contribute to the Kingdom’s strategic goal of diversifying its non-oil economy and developing the renewable energy sector to provide alternative sources of energy, in addition to creating up to 1,000 new local job opportunities in its various facilities.
The company also has future plans to expand downstream into production of solar cells and panels, as well as developing and operating PV Solar Power Plants, remarked Dr Basel.
The project will form the nucleus of a solar industry cluster in Yanbu, which is in line with the plans of The Royal Commission and the National Industrial Clusters Development Program, he noted.
The project has got strong backing from different governmental authorities such as the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Aramco, the Industrial Cluster Development Program, and The Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu through allocation of gas, power and land in Yanbu Industrial City.-TradeArabia News Service
