PHOTON International The Photovoltaic Magazine

Saudi solar wafer company planning to start cell production

A private company in Saudi Arabia is planning to start manufacturing multicrystalline solar cells by early 2005 and possibly begin production of its own modules at a factory it owns in Morocco. The Al-Afandi Solar Wafers and Cells Factory in Jeddah is in the process of commissioning a 1 MW cell production line.

© Al-Afandi Solar Wafers and Cells Factory

Mid-East production: Engineers, three of the 40 employed at Al-Afandi from all over the world, operate a GT Solar HEM furnace at the factory in Jeddah.

According to Hasan Hassanein, managing director of the factory, Al-Afandi began manufacturing and slicing wafers from ingots a year ago. The entire annual production of 500,000 wafers is being sold to two German PV companies, RWE Schott Solar GmbH and Sunways AG, he says, adding that Sunways has rated the cells from Al-Afandi 5 inch wafers at an efficiency of 15 percent. Plans call for the addition of a second HEM furnace as wafer production is increased to 2 million annually with six months to a year. Al-Afandi is also starting to produce 6 inch wafers, sliced at thicknesses ranging from 330 to 270 µm.

The company, which is a unit of the Al-Afandi Establishment for Trade, Industry and Contracting, a $5 billion conglomerate in Saudi Arabia, was built at a cost of 70 million SAR ($187 million). The original plan, says Hassanein, was to set up production in Phoenix, Arizona, where production equipment was assembled two years ago. But when it proved too costly, he decided to complete testing of the equipment and then move the operation to Saudi Arabia. The company now employs about 40 engineers.

Al-Afandi is investing about 30 million SAR ($8 million) to increase wafer production and start up cell manufacturing. Hassanein says he is also looking for »the right partner« to help the company start module production of 50 and 70 W modules in Tangiers, Morocco. Hassanein, who says the production equipment is already in place, estimates production could begin within three months once the go-ahead is given. The decision, he says, depends on the potential markets in North Africa and Southern Europe. Given the comparatively inexpensive cost of electricity in Saudi Arabia, Hassanein is not expecting to sell much in the local market.

For more information, email Hassanein at: hassanein7@netzero.net