SEMI forms India PV Advisory Committee and to conduct a solar event in Nov 09

SEMI, the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries, has identified solar/PV as its initial area of focus in India, and at a press conference today, announced the formation of an India PV advisory committee and an international PV exposition SOLARCON India in Hyderabad in 2009. All association activities in the solar/PV arena will be under the aegis of the PV Group, a global initiative of SEMI.

The India PV Advisory Committee has been established and is comprised of executives from major solar cell, module, equipment, and materials manufacturers to support regional SEMI PV Group initiatives and SOLARCON India. The members are - Dr. Gangadhara Rao, Velankani Renewable Energy Pvt. Ltd.; Dr. J. Gururaja, Renewable Energy Action Forum; Dr. Keshav Prasad, Signet Solar; Dr. Madhusudan V Atre, Applied Materials; S S N Prasad, Solar Semiconductors; Dr. Rajeswaran, Moser Baer Photo Voltaic Ltd.; Rabindra Satpathy, Reliance Industries Ltd. (Solar Group); Rao S.Y.S. Chodagam, Titan Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd.; Seshagiri Rao Meka, Oerlikon Solar India Ltd. and K. Subramanya, Tata BP Solar India Ltd. The SEMI PV Group has established committees in most major PV regions worldwide including China, Europe, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and North America.

SOLARCON India will focus on advancing the global PV supply chain in India. The inaugural event is scheduled for November 09-11, 2009 in Hyderabad, and will feature top international executives and a special emphasis on PV manufacturing in the region.

"I am pleased that SEMI has extended our global network of offices and services to now include India. With the growing number of companies involved in all phases of photovoltaic production there is an opportunity for SEMI to support the profitable development of the Indian PV industry through our established core services like market research and standards development," said Paul Davis, executive vice president of SEMI. "We are also delighted that members of the India PV Advisory Committee bring extensive experience to guide our future activities in India."

"The decision to focus on solar/PV is timely and the SEMI PV Group initiative is synergistic with the growing solar/PV market opportunity in India," said Sathya Prasad, president of SEMI India. "We anticipate significant growth in the India PV market, as more than 15 companies have announced plans to set up fab operations in the region. In addition, proactive initiatives by the Indian government, such as the semiconductor incentive policy scheme, are expected to bring investments into the region that could equal as much as US$10 billion by 2010."

"SEMI, with its extensive global resources, expertise and diverse membership is aptly positioned to play an important role in the region's growth and in particular the growth of solar/PV space in the coming years," added Prasad. "SOLARCON India will be an absolutely essential event for suppliers in India and globally to stay abreast of the latest regional market and technology advancements."

"I wholeheartedly welcome SEMI establishing its presence in India. Its entry is both timely and relevant as India is currently at the threshold of major solar/PV thrust and it is important that we engage in learning from other regions and forge win-win partnerships," said K. Subramanya, CEO of Tata BP Solar. "I am confident that SEMI will contribute significantly because its members have experience and stake in the growth of solar industry worldwide."

Many experts believe that India may become the fourth largest generator of solar energy worldwide over the next few years. In 2009, approximately 130 MW of shipments are projected, compared with approximately 30 MW in 2008. In addition, through a new government incentive for solar power plants introduced in January 2008, the India market is expected to experience rapid and sustained growth over the next few years.

The SEMI PV Group is a special interest group dedicated to serving the photovoltaic/solar manufacturing supply chain. SEMI is the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries. Our member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Since 1970, SEMI has been committed to helping members grow more profitably, create new markets and meet common industry challenges. Bangalore is the latest addition to SEMI offices in Austin, Beijing, Brussels, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.pvgroup.org or www.semi.org.