Total (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT) today announced the construction of a photovoltaic panel production and assembly unit at Composite Park in France's north-eastern region of Moselle.
Total (
Paris
:FP)
(LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT) today announced the construction of a photovoltaic panel
production and assembly unit at
Composite
Park
in
France
's
north-eastern region of
Moselle
.
With a surface area of 2,800 square metres, the plant will house two production
lines for a total capacity of 50 megawatt peak (MWp)* representing about
220,000 photovoltaic panels per year.
Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2011 and the first line (25 MWp) is
expected to come on stream towards the end of the year.
In the long run, the new unit will create around 80 jobs in the region.
"This project adheres to Total's strategy of positioning itself within the
entire photovoltaic solar chain. The production unit, situated near our French,
German and Northern European customers, allows us to strengthen our market
capabilities", stated Philippe Boisseau, President of Total Gas &
Power. "By launching this project, initially announced in 2009, Total also
reaffirms its commitment to supporting socio-economic development in
Moselle
."
*A megawatt peak (MWp) = one million peak watts. A peak watt, the unit used to
rate the performance of photovoltaic panels, will deliver one watt of
electricity under standard conditions of 1,000 watts of light intensity per
square meter and an ambient temperature of 25[deg]C.
Total and Solar Energy
Total has been active in solar energy since 1983 through its interests in two
companies, Photovoltech and Tenesol. Photovoltech, in which Total holds a 50%
interest alongside GDF SUEZ, produces photovoltaic cells based on a crystalline
silicon technology. Tenesol, in which Total holds a 50% stake alongside EDF,
specializes in designing, manufacturing, marketing and operating solar
photovoltaic energy systems.
In December 2008, Total became the biggest shareholder in
U.S.
startup Konarka, which develops products based on organic solar technologies.
Total's stake is now nearly 25%.
In June 2010, Total acquired a 25.4% interest in AE Polysilicon, a
U.S.
startup specialized in a new solar polysilicon production technology.
Also in June, Total was selected by the authorities in
Abu
Dhabi
to build and operate the concentrated solar power
plant Shams 1. Total's partner in this project is Abengoa Solar, a Spanish
company with expertise in concentrated solar power technology. Construction,
which already started, is expected to take approximately two years.
Total is also conducting significant R&D through partnerships with
world-class laboratories in
France
, such
as the Ecole Polytechnique engineering school's Laboratoire de Physique des
Interfaces et des Couches Minces (LPICM - Interface and Thin Film Physics
Laboratory) and the Toulouse-based Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of
Systems (LAAS), as well as in the
United
States
,
Switzerland
,
Belgium
and
Germany
.
Total in Moselle
Total is present in
Moselle
through its petrochemicals
(Total Petrochemicals France) and specialty chemicals (
Cray
Valley
)
activities at the Carling-Saint-Avold industrial platform.
Building a solar module plant will strengthen the Group's presence in the
region. At the same time, it supports economic revitalization initiatives
undertaken by Total Petrochemicals France as part of voluntary agreements
signed in 2007 and 2010 and which, thanks to a EUR1.3-million donation, led to
the creation of
Composite
Park
.
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