from the ground Up

The Straits Times, Mar 5 2008

by Jessica Cheam

Solar wafer maker NorSun is the latest entrant in the fast-growing industry in S’pore
SINGAPORE is hotting up as a centre for global solar industry players.
The latest company to join the burgeoning sunrise industry in the Republic is Norwegian solar wafer manufacturer NorSun.
The private firm yesterday announced that it will build its biggest solar wafer manufacturing plant in Singapore at a cost of US$300 million (S$419 million).
The 30,000 sq m facility in Jurong will employ 300 professionals – mostly local.
It will eventually be able to produce enough solar wafers each year to generate 350 megawatts of electricity.
NorSun, established in 2005, is the latest in a string of solar firms to set up shop here.
Last year, Norwegian solar firm Renewable Energy Corp (REC) chose to locate a giant manufacturing plant in Singapore at a cost of $6.3 billion. Then, Swiss-based Oerlikon Solar unveiled plans for a $39 million manufacturing and research and development (R&D) facility.
NorSun’s factory, which specialises in mono- crystalline silicon wafers, is the first of its kind in Singapore, said Economic Development Board (EDB) managing director Ko Kheng Hwa.
These wafers serve the high-end solar market and have a higher efficiency than traditional multi-crystalline silicon wafers – which REC focuses on. NorSun’s founder, Dr Alf Bjørseth, was REC’s former president.
Chief executive Jon Hindar said NorSun’s products will “complement REC’s, with different technologies serving different parts of the market”. He added that the decision to locate in Singapore was unrelated to REC’s decision to set up a facility.
“Our move is due to Singapore’s highly skilled workforce and its strengths in the semiconductor and logistics sector. We can see it is also strongly committed to growing the solar industry,” he said.
NorSun has also found a Singaporean to head its local operations – Mr Ong Eng Kian, who was formerly vice-president of semiconductor firm Systems on Silicon Manufacturing.
NorSun recently formed a joint venture in Saudi Arabia to build a polysilicon complex.
Polysilicon is the raw material used in all solar panels. NorSun has two other manufacturing plants in Norway and Finland, and sells to solar firms from the United States and Europe.
NorSun’s news comes on the heels of the setting up of the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore, which has a $130 million budget for the next five years for solar R&D.
A clearer picture of Singapore’s stature as a global energy hub is emerging. the EDB aims to get all solar industry players to be located here.
This will enable Singapore to compete with market leaders such as Japan and Germany.
Germany’s Freiburg, for example, known as a “solar capital”, is well-known for its solar panels and the presence of solar firms and institutes.
Mr Ko said the recent slate of investments and initiatives “clearly show the Singapore solar industry gaining strong momentum”.
Minister of State (Trade and Industry) S. Iswaran announced on Monday a new $20 million Solar Capability Scheme which will help offset part of the cost of installing solar panels in new, green buildings.
This will help lead users such as developers and building owners adopt solar energy, and more importantly, help Singaporeans build up capability and skills in solar applications, said Mr Ko.