Taiwan Government to support PV materials infrastructure growth

According to Taiwan’s Industrial Development Bureau, the PV industry in Taiwan is growing rapidly and requires the financial support of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) to boost the supply of key materials required in the production of photovolatics. Assistance will be given to to support the domestic production of low-iron glass, EVA (ethyl-vinyl acetate), silver/aluminum paste, solder and other raw materials that are not currently produced in Taiwan.

Various incentives including tax relief will now be offered by the MOEA to key Taiwan  materials companies. In relation to polysilicon production, the MOEA will support, Sun Materials Technology at the Letzer Industrial Park in Yilan, Taiwan Polysilicon Corp and Muto Silicon Corp at the Pingtung Export Processing Zone Pingtung Export Processing Zone, and Top Green Energy Technologies Inc. at the Changpin Industrial Park.

Combined, the polysilicon producers are expected to invest NT$30 billion in planned expansions, the IDB said. Polysilicon output in Taiwan could reach 10,000 to 20,000 metric tons in 2010, should plans remain on track.

The MOEA will also provide assistance to Formosa Plastics, Taiwan Glass, Gigastorage, and Shenmao as their combined investments are expected to be in the range of NT$3.6 billion. Gigastorage has already started supplying silver/aluminum paste and the other companies are anticipated to bring related products to market from 2009.

The output from the planned capacity expansions is estimated to reach NT$40 billion and is hoped to meet the full demand of downstream PV producers in Taiwan through to 2015.