The plant, which is expected to start production in 2013, will cover a total area of approximately 375,000 square metres in Al Jubail Industrial City 2. The largest plant of its kind in both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the MENA region, it will have a total production capacity of 7,500 tonnes of high quality polysilicon per annum and is expected to create approximately 400 job opportunities for Saudi nationals.

“Renewable sources of energy will remain a priority globally, and solar energy in particular is a logical industry to take off and flourish in the Middle East and North Africa region. We are therefore bullish on the polysilicon industry, and we are particularly happy to launch such a significant plant in one of the most important industrial hubs in the Gulf region, namely, in Al-Jubail in Saudi Arabia,” said Mr. Vahan Zanoyan, CEO of First Energy Bank.

It is expected that future expansion of the project facility (during a second phase) could include investments in downstream sector such as manufacturing of ingots, wafers, cell and modules.

“The polysilicon project at Al Jubail is in line with Saudi Government strategy of promoting green and sustainable energy solutions leading to further economic diversification and expansion of industrial base. This project is expected to stimulate opportunities in the downstream sector of the solar energy chain, and has benefited from the support rendered by the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the Saudi Electricity Company and all other Saudi government authorities” said Mr. Majed A. Al-Ahmadi, Chairman of Project Management and Development Company.

For additional information:

First Energy bank