New photovoltaic contracts in China

Air Liquide confirms its leading position in the PV market with the recent signature of thirteen new contractswith crystalline-Silicon (c-Si) solar cell manufacturers in China. The Group expands its supply to Chinese market leadersJA Solar and Yingli Green energy. Air Liquide will invest over €10 million to meet the needs of these customers.

Chinais already the world’s leading manufacturer of solar cells, hosting around 35% of total world capacity. Recently, the Chinese government announced a target of20 GWp power installed by 2020.

Air Liquide is now the carrier gases and specialty gases supplier ofJA Solar and Yingli, respectively China’s number two and number three manufacturer, with a combined capacity of1,400 MWp. Air Liquide is supplying:

• JA Solar’s solar cell production fabs in the Jiangsu’ and Hebei’ provinces;
• Yingli’s solar cell and Poly-Silicon facilities in Baoding Photovoltaic park, located in Hebei province.

Air Liquide is the partner of China’sthree main solar cell manufacturers, since it already suppliesSuntech, the largest c-Si producer in China(as announced in May 2009).

In addition, in Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hebei, Air Liquide was recently awardedvarious new long-term contractsfor the supply of carrier gases and of specialty gases, namely toJinko Solar, Sunflower and DelSolar, as well as toeight other new c-Si fabs under construction, for a total combined new manufacturing capacity of above1,300 MWp per year.

In light of the latest contracts,Air Liquide becomes the supplier of more than 100 solar cell manufacturing companies around the world, with an overall c-Si capacityabove 10 GWp per year.

Francisco Martins, Vice-President World Business Line Electronics of the Air Liquide Group, declared:“We are pleased to have been chosen to supply the three largest solar cell manufacturers in China. This confirms our ability to supply added-value gases and turnkey solutions to this industry. These recent contracts reinforce our leading position in this fast-changing industry. The photovoltaic activity is at the crossroads of Energy and the Environment, two growth drivers for the Air Liquide Group.”

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Air Liquide Electronics

With 3,000 employees and €1,044 million revenue in 2008, Air Liquide Electronics has activities in ultra-pure and specialty gases, new molecules, related equipment and customized services.
The Electronics division management is based in Tokyo to enhance its proximity to the semiconductor, TFT-LCD and PV markets in Asia.

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The use of gases in the photovoltaic industry

Gases are used at all stages of solar cells manufacturing process:

• to produce Poly-Silicium: high-volume of nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2)
• to produce Si wafers: large quantities of nitrogen, argon (Ar) and helium(He)
• to produce crystalline-Si cells: carrier gas (N2) & specialty gases such as silane (SiH4), ammonia (NH3)
• to produce Si Thin Film cells: carrier gases (N2, H2), specialty gases (SiH4, NF3, dopant mixtures) and coating precursor materials.