China Industry: Feb. 26

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Feb. 26 – This is a regular series of relevant industry news from around China.

Solar power
According to a report by Bharat Book Bureau, in 2008, the additional installed capacity of wind power in China was 6.3 GW and the total installed capacity reached 12.2 GW. The total installed capacity of wind power in China in 2010 will be the second largest in the world, realizing the original plan of achieving the goal of 30 GW in 2020, a decade ahead of schedule.

Solar cells maker China Sunergy Co. Ltd. said it had inked a wafer purchase and a solar cell sales agreement with an undisclosed U.S. photovoltaic products firm. China Sunergy will use the multi-silicon wafers purchased from the firm to produce multi-silicon solar cells, which will then be sold back to the firm for incorporation into its downstream solar products. Based on the forecast provided by the U.S. firm, 20 MW to 25 MW of solar cells will be supplied by China Sunergy throughout 2009.

Japanese Kyocera Corporation said that in April it will begin constructing a new production facility for crystalline-silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in Tianjin City, China. Completion is expected in spring 2010.

Kyocera noted that the construction of the new plant, which will mainly make modules for the Asian market, is timed to align the production capacity of solar modules with the increase in production of solar cells which the company is set to expand to 650 MW by March 2012.

The facility will increase the production capacity of KYOCERA (Tianjin) Solar Energy Co. Ltd. from 60 MW to 240 MW by 2011. Upon completion of the new plant, all Kyocera Tianjin Solar manufacturing operations will be transferred to the new facility.

Air transport
In a bid to draw more passengers, China Eastern Airlines will launch connecting flight routes. The company will launch approximately 900 domestic connecting flights based on its 300 direct routes and around 80 direct international routes.

Shanghai Airlines Co. Ltd. will launch 6 weekly direct flights between Shanghai and Hanoi, Vietnam, beginning March 27.

Taiwanese Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) reported that the TWD2 billion renovation of the Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 1 will be completed by the end of 2011, a year ahead of schedule. Upon completion, the terminal will serve 15 million passengers, which is 3 million more than before the renovation.

Taiwanese China Airlines Ltd. and China-headquartered China Southern Airlines Company Limited will sign a code-share collaboration on cross-straits flights to Taipei, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing.

Air Algeria initiated a direct regular flight from Algiers to Beijing. The route will be operated by Airbus 330-200 aircraft which will leave Algiers every Thursday and Sunday and will return every Friday and Monday.

British Airways has named Kevin McQuillan regional general manager for the Far East, effective March 2. McQuillan will be based in Hong Kong and in charge of the company’s commercial interests in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and the Philippines.

This industry report brief is courtesy of Aii Data Processing.