GT Solar, one hot company with a sunny future
GT Solar: One hot company
by Jill McGraw
Figure 3. The directional solidification system (DSS)
is the furnace that grows large ingots of polysilicon
Figure 2. Tom Zarrella, president and CEO,
weighing up to 430 kg, material for high efficiency
welcomes us to the company headquarters in Mer-
solar cells.
Figure 1. (L-R) John Minnucci, director equipment
rimack, NH, explaining that there are offices in
sales; Jim Bosco, VP supply chain; and Henry
Missoula, MO; Shanghai and Beijing.
Chou, product manager, meet us at the door at GT
Solar Inc.
O
n a cold day in January, we visited equipment and technology, the company converters and related equipment that
GT Solar Incorporated, the Mer- expanded from 56,000 sq. ft. on its nearly facilitate the entry of new participants into
rimack, New Hampshire-based 14-acre lot to 106,000 sq. ft. Approximately the polysilicon industry.”
subsidiary of GT Solar International, and a 215 employees work there in shifts. In In the GT-DSS450, a directional so-
leading global provider of specialized equip- touring the building, every effort was made lidification system furnace, silicon chunks
ment and services for the turnkey produc- to be environmentally correct, including in a crucible are melted at 1450º C. There
tion of photovoltaic (PV) wafers, cells and energy-efficient HVAC units, skylights, the the molten silicon is solidified from the
modules, and polysilicon, which is used in collection and use of rain water for irriga- bottom up direction, causing the crystals
the solar power industry. John Minnucci, tion, cubicles constructed from recycled to grow in a controlled fashion into a
director, equipment sales; Jim Bosco, VP fabrics, T5 and T8 fluorescent lights, struc- multi-crystalline lattice, different from the
supply chain; and Henry Chou, product tural steel from recycled metals, no VOCs, single crystal growth. The process takes
manager met us outside the building where and solar panels on the facility. approximately 60 hours from beginning to
the snow was piled four feet high on the “We operate through two segments: end. End result: one ingot weighing 430
edges of the parking lot. our PV business and our polysilicon kg. Follow on processes saw the ingot into
“GT Solar was founded in 1994 as GT business,” said Bosco. “Our PV busi- 25 bricks then slice them into 200 micron-
Equipment Technologies with two employ- ness, which is located here in Merrimack, thick wafers. Most of the waste cut from
ees and a $1,000 investment,” said Bosco. manufactures, sells and provides services the top, bottom and edges of the ingot is
Soon after, RBC Capital Partners, a private for directional solidification system (DSS) recycled. Unlike mono-crystalline wafers,
equity group of the Royal bank of Canada, furnaces and related equipment. We sell multi-crystalline wafers are created in a
invested $5 million, and the company our PV products separately and as part square shape.
began growing rapidly. of premium turnkey solutions, where we Right now the cost for solar grade
GT Solar’s corporate headquarters has bundle equipment, including third-party silicon stands at $150 per kg, and there
been located in Merrimack since 2002. In equipment, with design and integration are signs that the silicon shortage will
2008, driven by the need to meet expand- expertise. Our polysilicon business, which ease. The growth in the past 10 years for
ing global demands for its manufacturing is located in Montana, sells silicon reactors, photovolatics has been between 38-40%,
30 – Global Solar Technology – November/December 2008 www.globalsolartechnology.com
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