IDEA Polysilicon Company (IPC) has signed an agreement with Technip E&C Ltd., by which Technip will provide project management and engineering services for the IPC’s project for producing polysilicon, ingots and wafers in Yanbu Industrial City.
The project will be the largest manufacturing facility in the Middle East for the production of high-purity polysilicon with a total capacity of 10,000 tons per annum, of which 4,000 tons will be converted to solar wafers.
Basel Abu Sharkh, MD of IDEA Polysilicon Company, and David Humphries, sales VP of Technip E&C Ltd., signed the deal in Alkhobar.
Basel said: "By producing polysilicon and wafers, the IPC project will unlock the photovoltaic solar energy industrial value chain in Saudi Arabia that starts with polysilicon and ends with kilo watt hours that will contribute to meeting the growing demand for electricity in Saudi Arabia.
Studies conducted with international consultants indicate that Saudi Arabia 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."
Basel added that that 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 project will form the nucleus of a solar industry cluster in Yanbu Industrial City, which is in line with the plans of The Royal Commission and the National Industrial Clusters Development Program.
The project received strong support 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.
