Ferroglobe PLC, a producer of silicon metal, silicon-based alloys and manganese-based specialty alloys, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with REC Silicon. Under the MOU, Ferroglobe commits to leverage its asset platform in the United States to supply high-purity silicon metal to REC Silicon aimed at jointly establishing a low-carbon and fully traceable U.S.-based solar supply chain.
Hanwha Group’s recent investment into REC Silicon, in conjunction with Hanwha Group’s subsidiary Qcells, has expanded REC Silicon’s relationship with Ferroglobe and plan for the immediate development of an end-to-end U.S. solar supply chain from silicon metal to polysilicon to fully assembled solar modules. The project would span from Washington State to Georgia, West Virginia and beyond.
Passage of Senator Jon Ossoff’s Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act as part of a broad clean energy incentive package would make such plans immediately possible.
Ferroglobe will be a partner in ensuring steady supply of fully traceable metallurgical grade silicon metal produced in the U.S. from locally sourced raw materials and utilizing its domestic workforce. Ferroglobe is leveraging its technical and operational expertise across sites in West Virginia, Alabama and Ohio to support this effort.
As a producer of high-purity electronics and solar grade polysilicon with assets in Moses Lake, Wash. and Butte, Mont., REC Silicon is positioned to help lead the U.S.’s clean energy transition. The recent Hanwha investment will enable a re-start of the currently idle Moses Lake plant in 2023 and make available high volumes of low-carbon, solar-grade polysilicon.
“The solar industry is vital to the future of the global energy transformation,” says Dr. Marco Levi, Ferroglobe’s CEO. “I am thankful for Senator Ossoff’s leadership on this important initiative, which will re-shore solar capacity in the U.S., and increase jobs to help the economy. Furthermore, we are excited to collaborate with REC Silicon on this important initiative. We have had a longstanding relationship with REC, and this MOU aligns both company’s respective expertise and competencies towards a common goal which is critical to the United States.”
The MOU commits the companies to work together to increase U.S. production and employment at each of the companies’ affected facilities. “It is imperative that the solar manufacturing industry grows and diversifies,” comments James A. May II, CEO of REC Silicon. “REC is committed to driving large-scale investments in the United States, and we believe that the passage of SEMA in particular would result in the creation of tens of thousands of high-paying manufacturing jobs across the sector, accelerating the U.S. transition to clean energy.”
