World's Largest Solar Manufacturing Complex To Be Built In Singapore

Green tech is attracting an avalanche of interest from investors, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, universities and governments and here is another example. The Norwegian company Renewable Energy Corporation (REC) is planning to build the world’s largest solar production complex in Singapore. The investment is 6.3 billion Singapore dollars (US$4.3 billion). According to various media reports the manufacturing complex will be developed in stages, to incorporate wafer, cell and module production facilities capable of producing products that can generate up to 1.5 gigawatts (Gw) of energy annually. Egils Milbergs, president of the Center for Accelerating Innovation, says the project will put Singapore on the world innovation ecosystem map in clean energy.

"The project will be a 'queen bee' to attract a hive of solar activities to Singapore - big companies and young start-ups engaged in research and development, manufacturing and innovation, as well as the supplier ecosystem,'" said Ko Kheng Hwa, managing director of the Economic Development Board (EDB), which signed the deal with REC on October 25, 2007. REC president and chief executive officer Erik Thorsen said the decision on Singapore was made after a comprehensive 9 months' process involving screening of more than 200 possible locations, followed by due diligence of close to 20 of them and finally negotiations with a handful of sites. Mr. Thorsen says: "We will offer training programs and we are going to collaborate with very dedicated Singapore institutions and universities in order to be able to bring this business and opportunities alive." About 3,000 jobs, including 2,000 for skilled staff, will be created at the plant.The green field site for this new manufacturing complex is located in Tuas View, approximately 30 minutes from the city centre in the western part of Singapore.