Taichung, Taiwan: The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has broken ground in Taichung’s Central Taiwan Science Park on the company’s first Thin Film Solar R&D Centre and Fab, laying the foundation for the company’s entry into the thin-film solar photovoltaic (PV) market.
“TSMC’s New Businesses team has reached many important milestones since it was formed last year, first with our LED facility in Hsinchu, and now with construction in Taichung on our first solar facility. Our solar and LED businesses will not only bolster TSMC’s revenue and profit growth in the coming decades, they also play a key role in TSMC’s corporate social responsibility by making products that support a greener earth,” said TSMC chair and CEO Morris Chang.
“In addition, construction of this solar R&D center and fab, along with our Fab 15 Gigafab next to it, means Taichung’s Central Taiwan Science Park will become home to much of TSMC’s most advanced and innovative production,” Chang added.
TSMC plans to invest $258 million (U.S.) for the first phase of the Thin Film Solar R&D Centre and Fab, which is scheduled for equipment move-in in the second quarter of 2011. TSMC also expects to achieve initial volume production of 200 MW per year in thin-film PV modules in 2012.
Further, TSMC plans to add a second phase to the facility and expand production to more than 700 MW, employing about 2000 total staff in the facility. The R&D centre in the facility will continue to develop the CIGS technology licensed from Stion in June of this year. TSMC will offer its solar products globally under its own brand.