Praxair China, an industrial gas provider headquartered in Shanghai, has signed a gas supply agreement with Changzhou Trina Solar Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trina Solar.
Under the terms of the agreement, Praxair China will supply oxygen, nitrogen, argon, ammonia, silane to Trina Solar’s new manufacturing plant located in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. Praxair China has been delivering industrial gases to Trina Solar’s other manufacturing facilities in the west and southeast locations in Changzhou. The silane will be supplied in tube trailers to offer flexibility, safety and reliability in product supply.
Patrick Lu, VP of Supply Chain Management at Trina Solar, stated that at a time when the worldwide economic position is challenging, Praxair’s support for their project has a high impact on the company’s position in the solar market.
Praxair China’s President, Minda Ho, remarked that they help Trina Solar to accelerate the cost competitiveness needed for growth in the market and also share the solar company’s objectives of offering environmental benefits and energy efficiency.
The electronics business of Praxair now serves over 50 solar production facilities globally. The company’s gas products and technologies are distributed worldwide throughout the entire solar supply chain, thus allowing the manufacture of thin-film and crystalline solar cells. In addition, Praxair supplies a range of tubular and planar sputtering targets, which are used for the deposition of metal and transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin-film layers in photovoltaic devices.