AE Polysilicon Corporation

Some photos courtesy of ESM Productions

AE Polysilicon

We hope to strategically align ourselves with industry leaders in an effort to create synergies with intentions of bringing down the cost of solar. By developing advanced production technologies we hope to increase the competitiveness of solar energy while creating a sustainable future.

TECHNOLOGY

Our process is on the cutting edge of innovative polysilicon production technology and utilizes an advanced fluid bed reactor technology in a fully closed loop process. Our highly differentiated production process and product have the potential to advance downstream production throughout the entire supply chain. Most of the shortcomings identified by the open-loop process consistent with Siemens reactors, the most common technology employed by the industry, are eliminated by our closed-loop fluid bed process. Our fully integrated closed loop process is one of the most environmentally friendly designs in the industry and produces Granular BB’s instead of typical chunk polysilicon, a value added product which has the potential to improve the manufacturing efficiency of our customers.

There are four key components to our manufacturing process: (TCS) production, polysilicon deposition, utilities, and operations management. Operating and optimizing productions will require intimate understanding and careful balancing of these four key components.

Our closed-looped production process is up to 70% more efficient in terms of energy consumption than that of other processes that use silane. The Siemens process is highly energy consuming, with a major part, up to 90%, being dispersed and lost to the cold walls of the reactor. In the Siemens open-loop reactor, the raw materials to produce polysilicon are the most sensitive when it comes to cost and input/output ratio.

Our TCS FBR reactors are also able to operate continuously compared to conventional Siemens reactors which require batch operations.  The continuous deposition design gives us the ability to operate a constant extraction system where the Polysilicon BB’s, at the appropriate predefined size is disseminated through the bottom of the reactor. Additionally, by using a closed-loop process, we are able to increase throughput well above that of traditional polysilicon production processes. 

CONSTRUCTION

We broke ground on our production location on February 19th, 2008 at our corporate site at the Keystone Industrial Port Complex (KIPC) in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. We are well underway construction on our site and are on schedule to begin commercial production in 2010.

AE POLYSILICON TEAM

We have worked diligently in recruiting an immensely experienced world class management team that shares our vision. Our team incorporates extensive experience with fluidized bed reactor with polysilicon production facility development, construction, and operations. Our management team enjoys a combined experience of over 60 years in polysilicon; over 45 years in fluidization; and 40 plus years with chlorosilanes (the core chemical used in polysilicon production). Additionally, our team has immeasurable experience throughout the entire chemical plant life-cycle including designing, developing, constructing, operating, and optimizing commercial scale facilities utilizing polysilicon, chlorosilanes and fluidized bed reactors. Our team is headed by Dr. York Tsuo, founder and CEO and a leading expert in fluidization who has successfully commissioned numerous FBR-technology facilities.

LOCATION

Our production facility is located at the KIPC site in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, which is considered one of the heaviest industrial areas in the United States. The KIPC offers unparalleled access to transportation and high-capacity infrastructure. The site offers a unique combination of attributes that provides manufacturers with a real competitive advantage.

The site is located in a Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone or KOIZ, where it partners with the community and region in state and local taxing bodies, school districts, economic development agencies and community-based organizations. Over 10,000 new jobs have been created since the initial KOIZ program began in 1999, and the number is growing rapidly. Economic growth, top-quality talent and prime geographic positioning are just a few of the rewards of this premier region. The unique qualities of the region places AE and our people in the best position to succeed in the local, national and global marketplaces. We measure our success not only by the prosperity generated in the industry but also by the relationships and trust we’ve created in the community.

SUPPORT

Since locating at the KIPC, we have received a tremendous amount of local and government support from various Pennsylvania representatives.  In early 2007, Pennsylvania Governor, Ed Rendell released his Energy Independence Strategy aimed at saving Pennsylvania consumers $10 billion over the next 10 years, significantly expanding Pennsylvania’s alternative fuel, clean energy and conservation sectors by reducing reliance on foreign fuels, and pushing Pennsylvania into the top tier of states administering plans to cut consumer energy costs.

“With smart policies and aggressive leadership, we have attracted hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars of new investment and created thousands of new jobs, making us a leader in the clean energy sector.  The new policies I am proposing will grow our competitive edge in clean energy even further and move us dramatically closer to energy independence.” Governor Ed Rendell in news release to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in February, 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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