TSMC makes further Green Investments through investment in LED production

TSMC has made a smart entry into the Solar Energy space through investments into CIGs technology.Beside investing in a solar fab in Taiwan using Technology from CIGs startup Stion,it has also bought a 20% equity stake in Taiwan’s largest crystalline solar cell producer Motech.Now TSMC is further upping its Green Investments through a NT $5.5 Billion investment into a LED production line.Like other Taiwanese companies like AUO,UMC which are making major investments into the Green Industry,TSMC has also decided to go the whole hog in this area.Taiwanese companies are already reaping a significant amount of revenues from Green Divisions.Automation Test Equipment (ATE) producer Chroma ATE said that 20% of its revenues in the 2nd quarter of 2010 came from Green Sectors.Sales in Green Testing have increased sharply and will go upto 30% by the end of the year.Every major corporate is seriously thinking of investing in Green,if they have not done so already.

TSMC invests in LED manufacturing line – LED Magazine

TSMC, the giant Taiwan-based silicon IC manufacturing foundry, has passed a Board of Directors resolution to assign US$101.6 million for an LED production line.As we reported in March 2010, TSMC has already started to construct its first LED fab in Hsinchu Science Park, Taiwan. TSMC is the leading contract IC fabricator and believes it can transfer its manufacturing expertise to LEDs.

“LED lighting is a promising industry, and we will make full use of TSMC’s technology leadership and manufacturing excellence in semiconductors to develop and integrate LED technology, process, and packaging and testing,” said Rick Tsai, TSMC President of New Businesses.TSMC has also allocated $218 million to construct a fab for the production of thin-film solar photovoltaic modules.

Chroma Ate says sales to green industries grow – DigiTimes

Chroma Ate, which specializes in automatic testing equipment, has revealed sales to green technology sectors including electrical vehicles, LED and solar accounted for 20% of its total revenues in the second quarter of 2010. The test equipment specialist expects the proportion to top 30% for the full year.

Test solutions for the manufacture of solar cells and modules accounted for 14.1% of Chroma’s total revenues in the first half of 2010, compared to 2.8% a year ago, according to the company.Industry sources have speculated that Chroma already grabbed orders from Eton Solar Tech, Motech Industries and Neo Solar Power.Meanwhile, Chroma saw products used in the production of LEDs contribute 5.8% to its total sales in the first half, up from 1.1% in the same period of 2009.