이 기사는 2022년 02월 04일 07:47 thebell 에 표출된 기사입니다.

SK Group’s silicon wafer affiliate SK Siltron plans to inject 140 billion won ($116 million) into the silicon carbide (SiC) wafer business, of which 40 billion won will be raised in a green bond issuance, according to industry sources.

SK Siltron aims to inject 140 billion won into SK Siltron CSS, a subsidiary of SK Siltron USA, to expand SiC wafer production facilities.

SK Siltron CSS, the semiconductor wafer manufacturing unit of South Korea's SK Group, said in its document summited to the U.S Department of Commerce in November 2021 that it will invest a total of $600 million to expand its SiC wafer production lines in America by 2026. SK Siltron CSS is a local subsidiary that SK Group set up upon its acquisition of U.S. chemical company DuPont’s SiC wafer business for 536.6 billion won in 2019.

Wafers made of SiC are used in the semiconductor power components of electric vehicles (EV). SiC wafers are more efficient at handling high powers and conducting heat than normal silicon. When used in EV system components, they allow more efficient transfer of electricity from the battery to the motor, increasing the driving range of an EV by 5% to 10%.

The SiC power semiconductor market is expected to grow at an average rate of 38% from 2021 to 2025, with the market for EVs expected to grow at an average rate of 49% in the same period.

SK Siltron is preparing for the latest investment to meet growing demand from EV makers in the U.S. market. It plans to raise 40 billion won of the total 140 billion won in a green bond issuance.

The SiC power semiconductors are more resistant to voltage and heat compared with existing silicon semiconductors. They also allow downsizing of chips. EVs reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 51% compared to gasoline-based cars.

SK Siltron’s net borrowings sharply increased to 1.46 trillion won as of the end of September 2021 after making 600 billion won investment and over 500 billion won investment in 2019, followed by its acquisition of DuPont’s SiC wafer business in 2020. It is expected to face weakening cash flow and surging borrowings due to its $600 million investment plan. (Reporting by Choong-hee Won)