Corning Incorporated and AU Optronics Corporation (AUO) today announced that they have agreed to collaborate on a solar power generation project in Taiwan that will provide enough electricity to meet the power needs of approximately 300 U.S. households a year, while significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The agreement calls for AUO to fund the installation of rooftop solar power equipment at Corning manufacturing facilities in Taichung and Tainan. AUO will rent the roof space from Corning and sell the electricity generated by the solar panels to the Taiwan Power Company, a state-owned electric utility.
James P. Clappin, president, Corning Glass Technologies, and Paul Peng, chairman and CEO of AUO, inaugurated the startup of a solar power station at Corning's Taichung glass substrate manufacturing facility. They were joined by Chia-Lung Lin, mayor of Taichung City, and Dr. Ming-Huang Chen, director-general, Central Taiwan Science Park.
“Corning is proud to join with AUO, one of our most valued customers, to deliver ‘green power' in the form of solar energy,” Clappin said. “This project will showcase AUO's advanced solar power technology, while supporting the country's renewable energy policies.”
The combined rooftop solar panel processing area of the two Corning facilities extends approximately the length of three soccer fields and is designed to produce 2,500 kilowatts of power.
In addition, it is estimated that the solar power generation at the two plants will enable Corning to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 2,375 metric tons per year.
“AUO has been devoted to the solar energy business for many years and demonstrated strong capabilities in building all-round solar power plants,” said Paul SL Peng, AUO's chairman and CEO. “We have not only completed Taiwan's largest rooftop power plant in the Central Taiwan Science Park, but also encouraged our supply chain partners to engage in green energy development with us. AUO is glad to help build the solar systems at Corning's Taichung and Tainan plants with high efficiency solar modules, achieving a total capacity of 2,500 kilowatts. We are honored to work with our partners to create green business opportunities, in an aim to boost energy generation and promote corporate sustainability.”
“Corning believes that conserving energy makes good business sense,” Clappin remarked. “We're committed to making a positive difference in Taiwan by supporting communities where our employees live and work, by preserving our environment, and by engaging in responsible business and manufacturing processes. This investment in green power is one more step in that direction.”
