Press Releases
Linde to build another high-capacity, high-purity hydrogen gases production and supply facility for polysilicon manufacturing in Xuzhou
Xuzhou, Jiangsu, CHINA – (targeted 10/11) November 2010 – Linde in Greater China, a member of The Linde Group, will invest another USD 20 million in Xuzhou Industrial Park to construct a second wave of gas production facilities for supply to leading Chinese polysilicon manufacturer, GCL-Poly Energy Holdings’ production facility in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province.
This brings Linde’s total investment in Xuzhou in 2010 close to USD 40 million.
The latest injection of Linde investments follows the contract signing between the two companies. As part of the new contract, Linde’s subsidiary, Linde Gases Xuzhou, will build two additional steam methane reformers (SMR) for gaseous hydrogen supply to GCL-Poly’s industrial-scale polysilicon production facility. The new facilities, by mid 2011, will double Linde’s present day high purity hydrogen capacity to meet GCL-Poly’s projected rise in demand for gases with its capacity expansion targets.
In mid 2010, Linde Gases Xuzhou built two SMRs in Xuzhou, and today is supplying high purity hydrogen to GCL’s polysilicon plants via pipeline. Linde also supplies GCL large volumes of liquid argon.
Steven Fang, Head of Linde Greater China, says, “This exciting and strategic opportunity with GCL-Poly fits well with Linde’s strength in developing new gases applications across industries. Our SMR solution for high-purity hydrogen, in fulfilling GCL’s rigorous capacity expansion targets, gave Linde this opportunity to deliver this an innovative gases application capabilities breakthrough in China. This offers us significant additional long-term growth potential in this region with emphasis on sustainable development.”
This is the first time in China SMR technology is applied for large supply capacity of high purity hydrogen required for polysilicon production. Traditionally, local Chinese polysilicon manufacturers rely on electrolysis process to generate high-purity hydrogen. Linde’s SMR solution is able to meet high-capacity demand and offer eco-friendly benefits, with the potential of halving carbon emission generated from electrolysis process.
GCL Poly is undergoing rapid capacity expansion of its polysilicon production facility in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, with the target to develop a world-scale polysilicon manufacturing base. GCL-Poly established its polysilicon production facilities in Xuzhou Phase I in July 2006. GCL’s Xuzhou Phase III was fully ramped up by December 2009 with total annual polysilicon production capacity reaching 18,000 MT. With further technical upgrades, GCL-Poly’s Xuzhou facility annual polysilicon production capacity is expected to reach 21,000 MT by December 2010.
Polycrystalline primarily used in the solar industry.
About The Linde Group
The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 48,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2009 financial year it achieved sales of EUR 11.2 billion. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services.
Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment – in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
In Greater China, Linde is headquartered in Shanghai and has around 50 wholly-owned companies and joint-ventures, and more than 150 operational plants in major industrial hubs across the country, with around 2,600 employees.
For more information, see The Linde Group web site at www.linde.com.cn
About GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited
GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited is China’s largest and one of the world's leading polysilicon supplier and also a top green energy enterprise in China with extensive operation and management experience. Annual polysilicon production capacity of GCL Solar, a subsidiary of the Group, is expected to reach 18,000 MT by the end of 2009 and 21,000 MT by the end of 2010. GCL Solar has also started constructing wafer production facilities and targets to achieve 1GW of capacity by mid-2010. In addition, the Group controls and invests in a total of 18 cogeneration power plants, one incineration power plant and one wind power plant. Most of these plants are located in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in China with strong economic growth and robust demand for electricity and steam. All these plants are advocated and encouraged by the Chinese government.
For more information about GCL-Poly, please visit the company’s website at www.gcl-poly.com.hk