Possible challenges

However, the Chinese solar industry is facing some challenges, including a shortage of polysilicon. According to Pichel, three Chinese polysilicon manufacturers dominate the domestic landscape. Sichuan Xinguang, which is still under construction, is scheduled to begin operation in 2007, with its production capacity reaching 1,250 tons in 2008. LSCS plans to increase its production capacity from 300 tons last year to 1,000 tons this year. ESM's current polysilicon production stands at around 100 tons. Domestic poly production will not address near-term needs, as most production will not come online until 2008. Several Chinese solar companies, in anticipation of a future capital market transaction, have been stockpiling poly to the order of hundreds of tons.

Chinese Solar Industry Players · Suntech Power (Wuxi, Jiangsu Province) Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. specializes in the design, development, manufacturing and sale of PV cells, modules and systems. Founded in January 2001 by Dr. Shi Zhengrong, a distinguished PV technology scientist, Suntech has rapidly developed into a leading solar energy company. In less than three years since it started its business operations in May 2002, Suntech has increased its manufacturing capacity by 12 times, becoming one of the world's top 10 PV cell manufacturers in terms of output. According to Shi, Suntech is committed to becoming the lowest cost-per-watt provider of PV solutions. On December 15, 2005, Suntech Power went public. The stock price rose over 80 percent in four months. This five-year-old company is now worth over $5 billion. · Yingli Solar Co. (Baoding, Hebei Province) The second largest module manufacturer in China, Yingli Solar, produced 16 MW of modules in 2003. Within two or three years they expect to produce 600 MW. Yingli Solar developed from Tianwei Yingli New Energy Resources Co. Ltd. which was founded in 1998. Ever since, Yingli Solar has kept developing state-of-the-art production lines for wafers, cells and modules. State support and imported technology helped Yingli Solar become one of the hottest PV companies in China. The company currently has an annual capacity of 500 MW of wafers/cells and modules. With 70 percent of its facilities completed by the end of 2006, its production capacity is expected to reach 600 MW by the end of 2008, with a turnover of 16 billion yuan and a net profit of 3.5 billion yuan. · Other ambitious solar companies Although it has only been one year in full operation, Wuxi Shangpin Solar is heading for rapid growth. The company plans to double its module production to 30 MW next year and will build its own cell production line. Companies such as Trina Solar, Comtec and LDK Solar are seeking major expansions in the field of silicon wafer manufacturing. LDK Solar is aiming to achieve a 1,000-MW silicon wafer production capacity by 2010. Another high flyer is Nanjing CEEG PV-Tech that focuses on solar cell manufacturing. Jianhua Zhoa, the founder, said that his company started its first production line with an annual capacity of 32 MW in June 2005 and that it will further expand its capacity to 600 MW by 2008. Shanghai Comtec Solar Technology is a relatively new player in the field of solar wafer production. The company, however, plans to increase its capacity to 1.2 million mono wafers this year. Trina Solar is a typical and vertically integrated PV company with an annual production capacity of 50 MW. It plans to increase its ingot, wafer and module production capacity to 300 MW by 2008. Source: www.solarplaza.com