Producing silicon based materials with clean Icelandic energy

Stakksberg owns a plant in Helguvik, which produces 99% pure silicon (Si) and has a production capacity of 23,000 tonnes per year. The silicon is used, among other things, to manufacture solar cells and computer circuits. Some 70 persons will be employed at Stakksberg’s plant in Helguvik when the plant starts its operation.

The plant will use stable green hydro-electric power from sustainable resources. A power purchase agreement with the National Power Company of Iceland (Landsvirkjun) has been secured and a power utility/transformer owned by Landsnet (the state-owned electricity distribution company) is located next to the plant.

Stakksberg was established in February 2018 to take over the operations of the silicon plant in Helguvik previously owned by United Silicon ehf. Stakksberg ehf. is a company owned by Arion Bank. Stakksberg’s objective is to carry out an improvement programme, aimed at ensuring that the plant meets the requirements of the Environment Agency for a commence of operation in Q4 of 2020.

Immediately upon Stakksberg’s establishment a decision was taken to have a renewed environmental impact assessment carried out for the silicon plant’s operations. Work on the renewed EIA formally began on 25 June 2018, when Stakksberg published a proposed scoping document for the EIA containing a programme of improvements to the plant.

Stakksberg’s silicon plant was built by United Silicon ehf. during the period from July 2014 to July 2016. After period of testing Silicon production began in November 2016. In September 2017, the Environment Agency stopped the operation of the plant and demanded that an improvement programme should be carried out before operation could start again. Shortly thereafter, United Silicon was placed in liquidation. As the priority creditor of the insolvent estate, Arion Bank bought all the company’s assets and placed these in Stakksberg ehf.