LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
Sept. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Air
Products (NYSE: APD) today announced it has signed a contract with
Hunan Gongchuang Photovoltaic Science & Technology Co., Ltd for
the supply of bulk and specialty gases at its news silicon
thin-film photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing facility in Hengyang
City, Hunan Province, China.
The contract includes the supply of hydrogen and nitrogen, as
well as silane, nitrogen trifluoride, dopant mixtures and other
products.
Hunan Gongchuang is building a 40MW manufacturing facility
utilizing Oerlikon Solar's Micromorph® turnkey production line,
known as the FAB 1200. The new facility is expected to begin
production by the end of this year.
"Air Products is pleased to be the primary gas supplier for
Hunan Gongchuang's new thin-film PV facility," said Wayne Mitchell, vice president and general
manager, Electronics, for Air Products. "We remain focused on
helping our customers drive down their cost-per-watt through
innovative materials and product delivery solutions."
Hunan Gongchuang's silicon thin-film PV modules, which convert
sunlight directly into electricity, will be manufactured in much
the same way as thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays
(TFT-LCD). As one of the leading suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry,
Air Products is ideally suited to supply the new facility.
Air Products recently dedicated a 2MW solar farm at its
Corporate Headquarters in Allentown,
Pa., that is comprised of more than 11,000 silicon thin-film
panels supplied by two of its customers. The farm is capable of
supplying enough energy to power more than half of the company's
administration buildings and will lower its carbon dioxide (CO2)
footprint by approximately 2,000 tons per year.
Air Products selected silicon thin-film panels to demonstrate
its belief in the promising new technology and because the silicon
thin-film panels provide the lowest cost of energy for the project
parameters. Their advantageous performance in diffuse light ― the
light most typical in the U.S. Northeast ― and their cost-effective
installation for large area projects were drivers in the sourcing
selection.
With the demand for renewable energy and improved efficiency on
the rise, Air Products is well positioned to support these
developing markets with its expertise and project experience in
areas including large-scale hydrogen supply for cleaner
transportation fuels, developmental work on the hydrogen economy,
hydrogen vehicle fuelling and infrastructure, leading natural gas
liquefaction technology, and now the growing supply of gases and
services for the PV industry.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in industrial, energy,
technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio
of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance
materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940,
Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets
such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare
services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and
adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture,
operational excellence and commitment to safety and the
environment. In fiscal 2010, Air Products had revenues of
$9 billion, operations in over 40
countries, and 18,300 employees around the globe. For more
information, visit www.airproducts.com.
About Gongchuang Photovoltaic
Gongchuang Photovoltaic, founded in 2009, is located at the foot
of Nanyue Mountain, which is one of the five famous mountains in
China. It is a pioneer company
which engages in the technology development of silicon-based thin
film solar module and photovoltaic products manufacturing, and the
application of on-grid and off-grid solar power plant and building
integrated photovoltaic. Its facility covers an area of over
140,000 square meters with an initial capacity of 50 MW and an
expected capacity of 500 MW in 2015.
***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements
within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are
based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of
the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual
performance and financial results may differ materially from
projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking
statements because of many factors not anticipated by management,
including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its
fiscal year ended September 30,
2010.
SOURCE Air Products