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Total Energie plans French module factory for on-grid market in Europe
Total Energie SA, the leading French distributor of PV equipment,
is planning to set up module production on its home turf for the first
time.
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Total Energie Deutschland GmbH |
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Tanking up: Total Energie, which solarized
two TotalFinaElf gas stations in Germany this summer,
wants to fuel its production with a French module factory |
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A 5 to 10 MW capacity factory should be operational in
France – most likely in the southern city of Toulouse – by the end of
2003. Roland Barthez, Total Energie's general manager, says that
Tenesa (PTY) Ltd., its 10 MW South African module factory, is running
at full capacity. While expanding operations there might make
financial sense because of labor costs, Barthez says there is a »political
risk« to producing all of Total's modules in South Africa. He prefers
to be closer to the grid-connected market in Europe. Plans call for
production of polycrystalline modules, sized up to 180 W. Cells will
be sourced from the German company Q-Cells and one other supplier,
which has not yet been selected. »Depending on the size of the market,
we could go up to 15 to 20 MW,« says Barthez. Modules will be sold
mostly in Germany, where Total has a subsidiary, Total Energie
Deutschland GmbH, based near Cologne, and in Italy. »Toulouse would
also be well-situated for the market in Spain,« Barthez says. If the
market in Europe does not do as well as he expects, Total Energie
could reduce production in South Africa »a bit« and begin in Toulouse
with a 5 MW capacity.
Barthez and his partners own 30 percent of Total Energie, with 35
percent owned by the French utility EDF and an equal amount belonging
to TotalFinaElf. The French oil multinational is also part-owner of
the Belgium-based company Photovoltech, which has plans to start a
cell and module production in 2003. But Barthez does not see a
conflict for TotalFinaElf. »Photovoltech is not Total Energie,« he
says.
Barthez has not yet decided if the new factory will be directly
managed by Total Energie or set up as a subsidiary for tax purposes.
But the whole investment will come from Total Energie. As to the
amount, says Barthez, »I would prefer to keep it confidential.«
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