Feb 1, 2011
First Philec Solar Corp. (FPSC), a subsidiary of First Philec, opened its new manufacturing facility beside its manufacturing plant in First Philippine Industrial Park in Sto. Tomas Batangas.
Lopez Group chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez, Lopez Holdings Inc. chairman Manuel M. Lopez, Department of Trade and Industry secretary Gregory Domingo, SunPower Philippines VP for operations Greg Reichow, First Philec president Arthur de Guia and Tanauan Mayor Sonia Aquino graced the event.
The Php 230 million, 12,700-square meter facility will inccrease the capability of FPSC to produce up to 150 million wafers annually, which is equivalent to 400 megawatts (MW) capacity. The new facility will house 60 new wiresaws and increase the workforce from 450 to 1,090.
"As the company continues to outstrip expectations, the increased capacity will allow FPSC to respond to the requirements of its expanding list of customers. No doubt, FPSC will help provide a viable alternative for the country's energy needs," said president and CEO Dan Lachica.
FPSC also unveiled its solar panel test facility at the rooftop of the new manufacturing facility, which was already installed with a 75-kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) system. This is the first phase of a planned 200-kW PV system installation project with its sister company First Philec Solar Solutions. The test facility will be used by both companies to study the viability and technologies for the PV installation business. The system is expected to generate 7,500 MW-hours of electricity in 25 years and will have a substantial impact to the environment as it produces clean energy for the manufacturing facility.
Raul Sinocruz, FPSC's VP and chief technology officer (CTO), also reports that the company is planning to install a 20-kW PV system on roofs of the carports to add to the power generation of the facility.
FPSC, is the first and only large-scale solar silicon wafer slicing company in the country. It is a joint venture between First Philippine Electric Corp. and SunPower Philippines Manufacuring Ltd.