In an attempt to meet the increasing demand for high-purity silane gas in the PV industry, the Linde Group and Schmid Silicon Pilot Production have decided to collaborate on silane production via the joint ownership of a new facility in Dresden, Germany. The silane produced at this facility will contribute towards the current capacity for Linde’s customers and will be based on the new Schmid Monosilane Technology process.
The plant, which is currently under construction in Schwarze Pumpe near Dresden, will be owned and operated by Schmid for a capacity of up to 540 tonnes per year, while Linde will then take over ownership and operation for production of an initial capacity of 300 tonnes.
“Demand for high purity silane gas for electronics industry applications is growing rapidly, especially for the new Thin Film Photovoltaic (PV) market,” said Graham Hodgson, Director of Linde’s Silane Program. “As the leading global gas supplier to this PV market, Linde has embarked on an ambitious program of investments to ensure that the needs of our customers are fully met. We believe Schmid fully understands PV customer needs, and this collaboration will significantly ease the supply of silane.”
By Síle Mc Mahon