Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday said it was purchasing a 21 percent stake in a US-based solar photovoltaic company as part of its efforts to move into the green energy business.
TSMC, the world’s top contract chipmaker, said in a statement that it had reached a series of agreements with Stion Corp on technology licensing, supply and joint development of thin-film solar photovoltaic modules technology.
The Hsinchu-based chipmaker would also acquire about one-fifth of the shares of the California-based Stion through its venture capital affiliate, VentureTech Alliance LLC, for US$50 million, TSMC said in the statement.
TSMC’s latest move into the green energy business follows a Dec. 9 announcement that it had bought 75.32 million shares of Motech Industries Inc (茂迪), or about 20 percent, of the nation’s biggest solar cell maker, for NT$6.23 billion (US$192.6 million).
Besides solar power, TSMC has also been moving into LED lighting. During a groundbreaking ceremony at the Hsinchu Science Park (新竹科學園區) on March 25, the company pledged to invest an initial NT$5.5 billion in a LED lighting research and development center and fab, aiming to start supplying LED light sources and light engines next year, Rick Tsai (蔡力行), TSMC’s president of New Businesses division, said at the time.
TSMC had also bought a 3 percent stake in a US LED chip maker, BridgeLux Inc, in April 2008.
Under yesterday’s agreements with Stion, TSMC said it would obtain copper indium gallium sulfur selenide (CIGSS) based thin-film solar module technology from the US company, while it would in turn offer its partner a certain quantity of solar modules using the technology.
“Working with Stion, TSMC gains a robust thin film technology with inherent low cost structure,” Tsai said in the statement, adding that the company aims to achieve long-term leadership in solar photovoltaic businesses while contributing to a greener economy.
Stion CEO and president Chet Farris said he viewed the new partnership with TSMC as a good example of a “win-win relationship” in the solar energy business.
“The collaboration enables Stion to scale its operations, leverages both companies’ strengths to achieve market leadership and to deliver on the promise of efficient, affordable solar energy,” Farris said in the statement.
The two companies also said in the statement that they would work together to enhance thin-film technology through joint development, but did not disclose details.
Shares of TSMC closed at NT$61.4 on Tuesday, up 0.49 percent from the previous session. The local market was closed yesterday for Dragon Boat Festival.
So far this year, TSMC has dropped 4.81 percent on the main bourse, compared with the benchmark TAIEX’s 8.96 percent decline, Taiwan Stock Exchange data showed.
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