Module manufacturing start-up Astana Solar has started ramping its newly completed 100MW assembly plant in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
A subsidiary of NAC Kazatomprom JSC, one of the worlds largest uranium-mining company’s, Astana Solar has already received supply contracts for its modules from uranium mining firm KATCO, which is a joint venture business between France-based AREVA and Kazakhstan-based Kazatomprom, both nuclear power providers.
Astana Solar is also using UMG-Silicon produced by KazSilicon, which is part of a bigger project, KazPV that the country is investing in to provide an integrated solar product for markets within the country and as well as for export.
The KazPV project is part of a partnership signed between Kazakhstan and France in October 2010 and includes technology supplied from French business.
Initially, Astana Solar is planning to ramp to 50MW capacity in the first quarter of 2013, with further expansions dependent on market demand and UMG-Silicon production expansion at KazSilicon.
