PHOTON International The Photovoltaic Magazine

PV module manufacturer plans 15 MW capacity factory in Spain

A new Spanish solar module factory plans to start production in Feb. 2005. Madrid-headquartered Solaria Energia y Medio Ambiente S.L. says its new 50,000 m² factory, with a 15 MW capacity, is being constructed in Puertollano, located about 200 km south of Madrid.

On Sept. 29, US-based PV manufacturing equipment provider Spire Corp. signed a deal with Solaria to supply the company's turnkey production line. According to Arturo Diaz, head of Solaria's technology development team, the company expects to reach full production capacity in 2005 using two shifts. Solaria, which will also manufacture solar thermal modules, plans to increase the capacity »exponentially« in coming years, he says. The modules will branded with the Solaria Energia name. Solaria has been involved in PV and thermal system integration for three years.

Diaz declined to give any details about the module technology to be used, power sizes, where Solaria will be sourcing its cells, or what kind of support it was getting from the national and regional governments, saying only that the company was planning a press conference on Oct. 27. He says investment in Solaria has reached more than €15 million ($18.7 million).

The company is a subsidiary of the IDT Group, a Spanish energy company with financial interests in gas and renewable energies. It has no connection to the IDT Group electronics conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong.