REC Silicon - Manufacturers of U.S.-Made Polysilicon Praise Purchase Commitments in Phase 1 of U.S.-China Trade Deal

WASHINGTON _ The United States' three remaining manufacturers of polysilicon
today thanked President Trump and praised U.S. negotiators for securing the
Chinese commitment to purchase U.S. polysilicon in the Phase 1 U.S.-China trade
deal, while noting any benefit for U.S. manufacturers and workers will depend on
how China implements the agreement.

Polysilicon is the fundamental building block for the semiconductor and solar
industries, used to make ingots and wafers for solar cells and the integrated
circuits that power everything from smartphones to autonomous vehicles and
electronics. The U.S. polysilicon industry represents over $10 billion in
capital investment and employs thousands in high-skilled, high-wage jobs. The
inclusion of polysilicon in the Phase 1 trade deal reflects recognition by U.S.
government officials of the U.S. polysilicon industry's strategic significance
to American defense and energy industries and future manufacturing innovation.

"We hope this agreement will result in a more level playing field for this
important building block to the solar and electronics industries," said Mark
Bassett, chairman and CEO of Michigan-based Hemlock Semiconductor Operations
(HSC). "Maintaining and expanding U.S. production capacity is vital to
supporting high-wage American manufacturing jobs based on high-tech innovation."

In 2014, China closed its market to U.S. polysilicon by imposing tariffs on
imports of U.S-made solar-grade polysilicon. China has heavily subsidized its
own polysilicon producers since imposing the tariffs on U.S. producers and has
focused on concentrating demand for polysilicon in China. This industrial policy
has created massive overcapacity in China, burdening the global industry and
worsening conditions for the U.S. polysilicon industry.

"Regaining meaningful market access to China, which represents over 92 percent
of global polysilicon demand, is essential to the U.S. polysilicon industry,"
said WACKER POLYSILICON Vice President Mary Beth Hudson, who is responsible for
the company's polysilicon plant in Tennessee. "This Phase 1 agreement represents
an important first step in resuming exports and meeting the increasing demand of
Chinese customers for highest quality polysilicon."

The existing Chinese tariffs forced REC Silicon last July to shutter its $1.7
billion polysilicon plant in Moses Lake, Wash., and lay off around 450 workers.
HSC had to abandon its investment of over $1 billion in a new, state-of-the-art
polysilicon plant in Tennessee in 2014 after the Chinese tariffs took effect. A
SunEdison polysilicon plant in Pasadena, Texas closed in 2015 and was purchased
by a Chinese company, allowing China access to SunEdison's patented technology.
REC Silicon still operates a plant in Butte, Mont., while HSC has operations in
Hemlock, Mich., and WACKER POLYSILICON has a plant in Charleston, Tenn.

"It is really positive that the U.S. government has recognized the importance of
the U.S. polysilicon industry. Being locked out of the global market for
polysilicon for the last several years has cost the U.S. high-paying jobs and
billions of dollars in investment," said Tore Torvund, CEO & President of REC
Silicon.

"While we hope that this partial restoration of access to China's polysilicon
market will improve the outlook for U.S. polysilicon producers, it's imperative
that the U.S. continues to focus on developing and strengthening critical links
in the solar value and supply chains, providing a market for our polysilicon and
other U.S. solar manufacturers here in the vibrant domestic U.S. solar market,"
he added.

For further information, please contact:
Francine Sullivan
REC Silicon VP Business
francine.sullivan@recsilicon.com
+1 509 750 1133

About REC Silicon
REC Silicon ASA is a leading producer of advanced silicon materials, supplying
high-purity polysilicon and silicon gases to the solar and electronics
industries worldwide, with over 30 years' experience and best-in-class
proprietary technology. REC's production facilities are comprised of two U.S.-
based silicon materials plants in Moses Lake, Wash., and Butte, Mont. REC
Silicon's corporate headquarters is in Fornebu, Norway.

About Hemlock Semiconductor
Hemlock Semiconductor (hscpoly.com) is composed of several joint venture
companies owned by DuPont, Corning Inc., and Shin-Etsu Handotai. Hemlock
Semiconductor, located since 1961 in Hemlock, Mich., is a leading provider of
polycrystalline silicon and other silicon-based products used in the
manufacturing of semiconductor devices, solar cells, and modules. It's the only
manufacturer of polysilicon headquartered in the United States.

About Wacker Polysilicon
Wacker Polysilicon is a global leader in the production of hyperpure
polysilicon, used in semiconductors and the growing solar energy market. The
Germany-headquartered company began producing polysilicon in Charleston, Tenn.,
in 2016. Wacker Polysilicon is part of Wacker (www.wacker.com), which has other
chemical facilities in the United States.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section
5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

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