| 10 Apr 2008 01:08 ET << - Increasing PV cell production target for new German plant to 560MW by end of 2012 from previous level of 360MW - Signs contract for equipment required for German plant's second production line scheduled for first-quarter 2009 start-up - Expects to establish new high-purity silicon plant in Canada in 2011, ramping up to target output rate of 10,000 tonnes per year - Output from new silicon plant will provide material needed for planned increase in PV cell production - Plans expansion of Waterloo high-purity silicon pilot plant to output rate of 50 tonnes per year in 2009 and 400 tonnes per year in 2010 >> WATERLOO, ON, April 10 /CNW/ - ARISE Technologies Corporation (TSX: APV and Frankfurt: A3T), which is dedicated to becoming a leader in high-performance, cost-effective solar technology, today announced that it is increasing by 56 percent its 2012 production target for photovoltaic (PV) cells at its new plant in Bischofswerda, Germany to 560MW. The company also announced that it plans to establish in Canada in 2011 a high-purity silicon plant that will ramp up to an output rate of 10,000-tonnes per year. The new PV cell plant in Germany is on schedule to start manufacturing later this month and initially will use off-the-shelf technology on its Line 1 to produce 35MW of PV cells with an efficiency of more than 15 percent. ARISE announced that its wholly owned German subsidiary has signed a supply contract with OTB Solar B.V. (OTB) of Eindhoven, the Netherlands under which OTB will design, deliver and commission manufacturing and handling equipment for Line 2 of the Bischofswerda plant. The contract follows ARISE's decision to move ahead with the second production line after it recently signed four additional silicon wafer supply agreements. ARISE expects that Line 2 will be in production in the 2009 first quarter, increasing the plant's capacity to 80MW annually. The company expects that the cells produced on Line 2 will have an efficiency of up to 18 percent when the line is fully optimized. The company now plans to install 10 additional production lines through 2012 and is targeting an annual capacity of 560MW with a step-by-step progression to more than 20 percent cell efficiency. The company previously had planned to have a total of eight production lines by 2012 with output capacity of 360MW. New Silicon Plant in Canada ARISE also announced that it expects to proceed with establishing in 2011 a new silicon production plant in Canada that will ramp up to a capacity of 10,000 tonnes per year. The company has not selected a site for the plant. In the meanwhile, the company plans to expand the capacity of its planned silicon pilot plant operation in Waterloo, Ontario initially to a target rate of 50 tonnes per year in 2009 and then to a target rate of 400 tonnes per year in 2010. Construction of the silicon pilot plant is scheduled to commence in the 2008 third quarter. ARISE expects to use the output from the planned new silicon plant to supply the growing PV cell production capacity in Germany and also for sale to other companies. In August 2007, ARISE completed the first major milestone of its PV Silicon Feedstock program with the commissioning of the Silicon Refining Furnace version 3.1 (SiRF(TM) 3.1) at its Waterloo facility. The high-purity silicon to be produced using the Silicon Feedstock Process that ARISE is developing is essential to achieving high-efficiency PV cells. The company's process uses a proprietary method to produce 7N+ high-purity (99.99999 percent purity level) silicon for PV applications using a simplified chemical vapor deposition process. The commissioning of the SiRF(TM) 3.1 followed 14 months of numerous test runs of silicon that confirmed through independent labs that ARISE had achieved sub-ppm (parts per million) levels of boron, phosphorus, and metal impurities - a key factor for successful silicon production. The Silicon Feedstock Mini Pilot Plant went operational in December 2007, a significant step in moving from the laboratory to production-scale for the proprietary technology that ARISE is developing for the Silicon Feedstock Process. ARISE believes that its ability to produce 7N+ high-purity silicon will enable it to meet its target of more than 20 percent efficiency for PV cells. "The progress that we are making in Germany, our success in securing silicon wafer supply contracts, and the encouraging results to date from our high-purity silicon mini pilot production facility in Waterloo are all indications of the progress that ARISE is making toward achieving our goal to become a global leader in high-performance, cost-effective silicon technology," said Bart Tichelman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Based on the quality of the silicon material being produced at the Waterloo SiRF operation, we have the confidence to proceed with planning for our first full-scale silicon production plant in Canada. We have begun consideration of potential sites for the plant and will be focusing more on this in the next few months. The future success of this silicon program is integral to our expectations for future profitability levels." About ARISE Technologies ARISE Technologies Corporation, based in Waterloo, Ontario, is dedicated to becoming a leader in high-performance, cost-effective solar technology. The company operates through three divisions. The PV Cell Technology Division is developing a leading, high-efficiency photovoltaic cell based on proprietary technology. The division is completing construction of its first manufacturing plant, located in Bischofswerda, Germany and expects to begin shipping to PV module makers in April 2008. The PV Silicon Technology Division is focusing on improving PV cell efficiency to make the technology more cost-effective and is also working to reduce or eliminate supply constraints. The PV Systems Division provides complete turnkey PV solutions for solar farms and rooftop installations under the Ontario standard offer program. The company's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol APV and on the Frankfurt Open Market Exchange under the symbol A3T. Additional information, including new photographs showing the German plant's construction progress, is available at www.arisetech.com. The company's regulatory filings may be obtained on our website and at www.sedar.com. Additional information on OTB Solar B.V. (OTB) of Eindhoven, the Netherlands is available at www.otb-solar.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may be considered to be forward-looking. Such statements are based on management's current expectations, estimations, and assumptions based on experience, trends, and other factors that are subject to the significant risks and uncertainties described in our regulatory filings. Please refer to these. Such risks and uncertainties may include, but are not limited to, the effects of general economic conditions, changing foreign exchange rates, actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations, industry supply levels, competitive pricing pressures and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking statements. ARISE assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. %SEDAR: 00017494E For further information: ARISE Technologies Corporation, 65 Northland Road, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2V 1Y8; Gordon Jekubik, VP and Corporate Secretary, (519) 772-5710, Gordon.Jekubik@arisetech.com, www.arisetech.com |
