Sunpower has signed a long-term supply agreement with SMA Technologie AG, the world’s largest solar inverter manufacturer, and has signed two agreements with NorSun AS to support its solar cell manufacturing expansion plans.
SMA Technologie AG agreement:
“This agreement will enable SunPower to offer a broader choice of innovative, high-quality and reliable inverter products to our expanding dealer network,” said Vikas Desai, general manager of SunPower’s VAR Business Unit. “We look forward to a long and rewarding relationship with SMA.”
SMA is well respected within the solar community as a leader in the solar inverter field. “It’s no coincidence that both SMA and SunPower have been recognized by industry organizations for their technological achievements within the solar industry,” says Pierre-Pascal Urbon, chief sales and marketing officer for SMA Technologie and president of SMA America. “SMA’s commitment to delivering quality and innovative products will enable us to provide SunPower with reliable inverter technology that will meet the growing demand of SunPower’s customer base.”
“SMA America is uniquely positioned to supply a fully integrated, commercial energy solution that maximizes energy production, while keeping the installation simple and cost effective,” said Kent Sheldon, SMA America director of sales. “Our high-performance and high-efficiency solar-electric technology will provide SunPower with inverters that are reliable and easy to install.”
NorSun AS agreements:
Under the terms of the first agreement, SunPower will purchase sufficient silicon in ingot and potentially wafer form from NorSun to satisfy production requirements for up to approximately two gigawatts of solar cell production, based on SunPower’s expected silicon utilization during the agreement period and subject to contract conditions. Under the terms of the second agreement, NorSun will buy polysilicon from SunPower at fixed annual volumes and prices. NorSun will provide SunPower cash advance payments for the polysilicon under this agreement. Under both agreements, delivery begins in 2007 and continues through 2019.
“The NorSun agreements link our existing long-term polysilicon supply agreements and the expansion of our high-efficiency solar cell production at Fab 2 and Fab 3,” said PM Pai, chief operations officer at SunPower Corp. “By securing a large, long-term source of raw material, SunPower expects to achieve economies of scale that will contribute to our goal to reduce installed solar system costs by 50 percent by 2012. With this new agreement, NorSun, a strong new entrant into the solar market, will quickly scale its ingot and wafer manufacturing capacity in its new Ardal, Norway facility, diversifying our supply chain.”
“NorSun welcomes the opportunity to work closely with SunPower, a high-technology solar leader,” said Jon Hindar, NorSun’s CEO. “Through these agreements, NorSun establishes a strong relationship with a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, which is well-suited to NorSun’s ambition to be a world-class supplier of ingots and high performance monocrystalline wafers.”
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