Monday, August 25, 2008

Green on the Screen: Trina Solar shifts manufacturing strategy (TSL)

Both Trina and LDK had important news today (scroll down), both stocks are up in a 2% down market. LDK's was a bit more understandable, here's an explanation of Trina's.
From PV Tech:
Trina Solar has changed track on its balanced, fully integrated ingot through PV module manufacturing model on the back of a major polysilicon and wafer supply deal with GCL Silicon Technology. The revised supply deal will see GCL Silicon supply polysilicon and wafers sufficient for 4,825MW (600MW per annum) of solar modules to be manufactured by Trina Solar in aggregate over an eight year period. Delivery of polysilicon at predetermined prices started in April of 2008, Trina Solar said.

Trina Solar had previously planned to increase production to 350MW of combined ingot/cell/module in 2008 and expand to a combined 600MW in 2009. Capital expenditures of $200 million were planned in 2008, followed by a further $250 million in 2008 (See chart 1 below).

Trina Solar Intergrated MW Capacity Plan Jan-08

However, the GCL Silicon deal has meant that Trina Solar can expand cell and module production in 2009 and beyond to a newly revised 700MW instead of the previous plan of 600MW, while reducing ingot production expansion to 500MW instead of 600MW, as previously planned for 2009 (see chart 2 below). ...MORE