China-based solar grade silicon producer, JACO, has claimed it has achieved several key milestones in its ability to supply SoG for wafer production. Having entered production of its Gen 1 process in 2011, JACO said that it reached a key cost target of US$15/kg that also equated to a CapEx cost of US$15/kg and an electricity consumption cost of 15kwh/kg.
“JACO shipped over 1000 metric ton in 2008 when PV was hungry for silicon quantity and we are preparing new capacity in 2012 as industry is looking for lower cost silicon,” commented Jackson Su, CEO of JACO. “We believe the ‘Green Silicon’ with its sharp low cost and investment competitive advantage is the long term silicon solution for solar cells.”
The company is claiming that customers can achieve a 50% shorter energy pay-back time for solar cells, by using its SoG. JACO has a near-term target of lower production costs to US$10/kg.
