According to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, it may form units in the solar and LED businesses.
Formerly, TSMC and other Taiwan technology companies have been pushing into the $35 billion global solar energy market to leverage their expertise in chip and LCD manufacturing into new growth prospects.
Last September, TSMC said it would complete the first phase of a planned solar energy plant in Taiwan in the first half of 2011 after an investment of over $200 million.
