91997E1670

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1670/97 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (20 May 1997)

Subject: Solar energy

Is it true that there is no European production at present of silicon, which is an important component in the production of photovoltaic cells? Is this because this element does not exist in Europe or because its extraction has not been developed? From where does the EU obtain its supplies of silicon?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (26 June 1997)

Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on earth - sand is essentially an oxide of silicon - so there is no shortage of silicon in Europe.

Chemically pure silicon cannot be used for solar or electronic applications. It must be further purified to become 'solar grade' (i.e. useful for photovoltaic solar cell production) and, even more, if it is to be used for transistors, integrated circuits and other electronic devices.

Solar grade silicon is produced by several European companies and research and development (R& D) work in view of more cost effective production of such silicon is presently funded by the non-nuclear energy programme, in order to secure European supply of all appropriate categories of solar grade silicon (amorphous, crystalline, thin film).