Heckert Solar, Wattkraft and Interfloat are planning to invest around €2Bn (US$2.18Bn) in three different manufacturing facilities that will be integrated from polysilicon to solar modules.

Heckert Solar, a German solar module maker, will increase its capacity at the Langenwetzendorf plant increase from 400MW to 2.8GW. The company will use its facility in Frankfurt am Oder for the consortium to build a new 5HW factory to produce polysilicon and solar cells.

Interfloat, Europe’s largest solar glass manufacturer, is planning to produce antimony-free, low-iron, textured solar glass at one of its industrial sites in Brandenburg. Indian group Borosil Renewables acquired an 86% interest in Interfloat in October 2022. With major sites in Germany and Liechtenstein, Borosil plans to increase manufacturing capacity to 2,600tpd (up from 300tpd), estimated to supply solar glass for more than 15 GW of PV modules from 2025.

Polysilicon demand has grown over the last two decades, estimated to account for around 30% this year, up from less than 5% in 2002. Its early market was driven by the uptake of silicon wafers used in semiconductors, tracking the ramp-up in portable electronics. However, the solar industry quickly overtook as the larger growth market, now accounting for close to 90% of polysilicon demand. According to Project Blue data, silicon demand in solar PV is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% over the next 10 years.

One of the uses of antimony in glass is as sodium antimonate to clarify glass and improve transparency by reducing bubble formation during production. Glass forms only a small part of antimony’s market at about 3% and while its use is forecast to grow, Project Blue data suggests that it will remain a niche market at below 5% compared to the major flame retardant and plastics uses of antimony in its trioxide form.