Solar billion

LDK Solar, a Chinese manufacturer of multicrystalline solar wafers, has contracted Fluor Corporation to help it build a new $1bn manufacturing plant in Xinyu City, Jiangxi, which will produce polysilicon for solar cells.

When the project is completed, it is expected to produce up to 15,000 metric tons of polysilicon and 90,000 metric tons  trichlorosilane per year. To date, the entire worldwide production of polysilicon is only about 100,000 metric tons per year.

Construction at the site began in August 2007, and the first manufacturing line is expected to be completed by December 31, 2008. All three lines in the new plant are scheduled to be finished by July 2009.

LDK Solar makes multicrystalline solar wafers, the principal material used to produce solar cells. LDK Solar sells the wafers to manufacturers of photovoltaic products, including solar cells and solar modules. In addition, the company also provides wafer-processing services to monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar cell and module manufacturers.

Aside from winning the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services contract for the new plant, Fluor was also responsible for the front-end engineering and design (FEED) work.