Some Taiwan-based solar firms - a first-tier and three second-tier cell makers, and a material supplier - originally planned to form a joint-venture to manufacture PV modules to tap the international market, but they have suspended the plan due to the US' ongoing antidumping investigation of Taiwan-based solar cell makers, according to industry sources.
According to the original plan, the joint-venture would have an annual production capacity of 500MWp in the first phase, 2GWp in the second and eventually 5GWp, the sources indicated. Half of the capacity would be located in Taiwan and the rest overseas to avoid possible impact from anti-dumping taxation, the sources noted. The first-tier solar cell maker would supply 50% of the cells needed for the module production while the three second-tier partners would share the rest.
Whether the joint venture plan will be resumed hinges on the result of the US probe, the sources indicated.
