New 480MW thin-film module plant planned for Italy with Sharp, Enel and STMicroelectronics partners
A new joint venture triple junction thin-film solar company is being formed between Sharp, Enel Green Power, and STMicroelectronics. The equal partners are set to invest €320 million to establish an initial production capacity of 160MW at an existing but shuttered former 300mm semiconductor fab owned by STMicroelectronics in Catania, Italy. Thin-film module production is expected to start at the beginning of 2011 and ramped over several years to a targeted 480MW annual capacity. Enel Green Power and Sharp have also signed an additional agreement to install cumulative capacity at a level of 500MW by the end of 2016, using modules from the Catania plant. The agreement signals the move by Sharp to enter to the power generation market and become a fully integrated PV manufacturer. The partners are targeting utility-scale installations in Europe and the Mediterranean area through the sales networks of Sharp and EGP. Sharp noted that hotter climates are better suited to thin-film modules as ...