Media Backgrounder - April 2010
Who are SilexSolar?
• In June 2009, Silex Systems acquired the Sydney Olympic Park (SOP) solar manufacturing facility from BP Solar, including the entire production equipment, infrastructure and a lengthy building lease.
• SilexSolar is now the largest integrated photovoltaic (PV) cell and solar panel manufacturing facility in the southern hemisphere.
• SilexSolar is also the leading domestic manufacturer of solar panels in Australia.
Company history (NB. full timeline in appendix)
• SilexSolar’s parent company, Silex Systems Limited (Silex), was established as a technology research and development subsidiary of Sonic Healthcare Limited, an Australian publicly listed company in 1988.
• Silex Systems announced in June 2009 the acquisition of the Sydney Olympic Park solar manufacturing facility.
• This acquisition has allowed SilexSolar to accelerate the start-up of its commercial solar business in a relatively short time.
The Sydney Olympic Park plant
• The SOP plant can produce over 50MW of solar cell production and 5MW of panel production annually.
• Future capacity could be expanded to 200MW and possibly more with improvements in solar cell efficiencies.
• SilexSolar has already improved the plant’s operational efficiency through speeding up machines, improving their accuracy and reliability and modernising process equipment.
SilexSolar’s cell technology
• SilexSolar has a large R&D facility and test facility at the SOP site.
• SilexSolar is developing and implementing advanced solar technology which will increase conversion efficiency and lower cost per watt of electricity produced.
• Its new operations involve a progressive roll-out of advanced technology and innovations, potentially including novel materials being developed by its Silicon Valley subsidiary Translucent Inc.
• SilexSolar is currently producing cells and panels using an optimised form of conventional mono-silicon processing with a conversion efficiency of approximately 17%.
SilexSolar’s PV Solar Panels
• The SilexSolar PV panels are suitable for any property, and are simple, safe, quick and easy to install.
• They are made of anti-reflective coated cells and glass and are available in 170W, 175W, and 180W variants.
• SilexSolar’s PV panels are hailstone impact tested and are certified to meet safety and performance standards.
Accomplishments of company
• SilexSolar has emerged as a leader in the Australian renewable industry, through:
• saving Australia’s only local solar panel manufacturing plant from shutting down
• rescuing the Solar Systems (Melbourne-based) utility-scale technology, including a peak demand 150 plus MW solar power station project in Victoria
• being a highly credible bidder for the Federal Government’s Solar Flagships program, which will see SilexSolar further contribute to the development of utility scale, peak demand solar power generation in Australia.
SilexSolar staff
• Many of SilexSolar’s staff have over 25 years in the industry, including experience in Europe and the US, skills now benefitting the Australian solar industry.
• SilexSolar leadership includes:
• Michael Goldsworthy – CEO of Silex Systems Ltd
• Dr Goldsworthy founded the Company in 1988 and took the company public in 1998 when it listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
• He has been instrumental in the development of several technologies, including advanced materials for semi-conductor and solar applications by US-based subsidiary Translucent Inc and novel electronic equipment technology by Adelaide-based ChonoLogic Pty Ltd.
• Dr Goldsworthy has a PhD in Physics from UNSW.
• Rod Seares – General Manager of SilexSolar
• Mr Seares is in charge of the commercial and manufacturing operations of the SOP plant and all of Silex’s Australian operations.
• He was project manager and later Plant Manager of the SOP Plant when it was owned by BP Solar.
• He recently returned to Australia after being seconded for 4 years to BP’s largest vertically integrated solar plant located in Frederick MD, USA as Director of Operations of all BP’s North American Solar Manufacturing.
Information about the PV industry
• Photovoltaic production has been doubling every two years, increasing by an average of 48 percent each year since 2002, making it the world’s fastest-growing energy technology.
• Public appetite for PV is very strong, with the Australian solar power industry growing 366% in 2009.
The future of the company
• As the country’s only Australian-owned Australia-based manufacturer of solar panels, SilexSolar is well placed to commercialise Australian IP rather than it going overseas.
• Through its investments in solar companies, Solar Systems andSilexSolar is well positioned to introduce ground breaking new standards in PV performance in the near future.
• SilexSolar predicts utility-scale solar PV electricity and conventional electricity may ‘cross over’ in cost within five years – with electricity going up in price and PV coming down in price, enabling solar to become a significant player in peak demand power generation.
• SilexSolar will lead this growth.
Company contact
2 Australia Avenue (Sydney Olympic Park) Homebush Bay NSW 2127.
Phone (02) 9704 8888
Website: www.silexsolar.com.au
Email: enquiries@silexsolar.com
Media contact
Craig Pearce
BlueGrass Consulting
02 9377 1104 + 0438 003 430
craig@bluegrass.com.au
Appendix 1: timeline
• 1998 – Silex Systems Limited (Silex) was established by founder Dr Michael Goldsworthy as a technology research and development subsidiary of Sonic Healthcare Limited, an Australian Publicly listed company.
• 1992 - The unique principles of the SILEX (Separation of Isotopes by Laser EXcitation) Process were established.
• 1998 – Silex listed on the Australian Stock Exchange on 7 May 1998.
• 2001 – Silex moved further into the semiconductor technology field with the acquisition of a 30% interest in Translucent Inc, a Silicon Valley start-up developing silicon photonics technology for the photonics/optical communications industry.
• 2004 – Silex commissioned the world’s first silicon laser enrichment pilot plant.
• 2005 – Translucent wins a US Defence Department DARPA Grant to help develop the ‘optical silicon’ technology, under DARPA’s Electronics and Photonics Integrated Circuits (EPIC) Program.
• 2005 – Subsidiary ChronoLogic wins a Federal Government ‘Commercial Ready Grant’ for its novel ‘USB-inSync™’ Data Acquisition Technology ($1.2M for three years).
• 2006 – Translucent enters the solar arena with two patent filings covering the application of its advanced materials to high efficiency solar cells.
• 2007 – Silex successfully completes a $50 million placement of new securities on market in October (the placement closed heavily oversubscribed).
• 2009 – Silex announced in June the acquisition of the Sydney Olympic Park solar manufacturing facility, including the entire production equipment (purchased from BP Solar) infrastructure and a lengthy building lease.
• This followed the signing of an Equipment Sales Agreement between wholly owned subsidiary Silex Solar Pty Ltd and BP Solar Pty Ltd and the payment of $6.5 million.
A core team of ~20 engineers and technicians, most with more than 20 years experience in the solar industry, was taken on-board at the time of acquisition.
|
