Schott Solar building new PV plant

Roseville, Calif.-based Schott Solar said today it would build a new plant in the U.S., boosting its domestic photovoltaic production by 60 megawatts.

In addition to producing solar photovoltaic modules, the new facility will be designed to manufacture receivers for concentrated solar power plants.

The company, a unit of German high-tech glass maker Schott, said it's still evaluating locations for the new plant, scheduled to go online in 2009.

"Demand for renewable energy in the United States is skyrocketing," said Udo Ungeheuer, chairman of Schott.

The company said the new plant will be built to support later expansion of both Schott's photovoltaic and solar receiver lines as the U.S. renewable energy market continues to grow.

"As one of the only companies that possess the manufacturing expertise needed to produce both PV modules and receivers for solar thermal power plants, Schott Solar is uniquely positioned to expand U.S. production of these technologies, and thereby play a major part in helping the United States secure its ambitious renewable energy production goals," said Ungeheuer.

Schott Solar already has a plant in the States in Billerica, Mass., which has a capacity of 15 MW.

The company's total photovoltaic production capacity worldwide is 130 MW.

For 2010, Schott Solar said it's aiming for a global yearly production capacity of crystalline solar cells and modules of about 450 MW and an additional capacity of 100 MW in amorphous silicon thin film technology.