Swedish costeffecient production of solar grade silicon
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | SiCell AB - Sicell AB, Fagersta |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 300 000 |
| Project duration | April 2017 - October 2017 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Innovative Startups |
Purpose and goal
Overall goal is to develop a new technique for refining metallurgical silicon into solar grade silicon which will lower the cost for solar cells. This will contribute to solve the threat of climate change by making renewable energy production more competitive. .In this phase of the project the goal was to get a more stable knowledge of the commercial possibilities fora growth of the technique which was achieved.
Expected results and effects
There is a large market for solar grade silicon growing at a rate of 5 to 20 % per year, Prices has dropped last years to a range from 16US$ to 20 US$. Further decrease is not expected due to the high investment costs for new capacity as well as high energy costs with today´s technology. Our new technique will be very competitive economically and also have strong environmental advantages such as low enrgy demand and no final rest products.
Planned approach and implementation
Next steps in our development work are further developments in pilot scale and after that a demonstration plant with a positive cash flow. Organic growth is expected to follow financed either by finansiell or industriell risk capital.