A 325 MW solar PV module factory, jointly built by China's Talesun Solar and South African solar module producer ARTSolar has been commissioned in South Africa's New Germany, Pinetown region, with production expected to start in mid-November 2022.
ARTSolar's 'upgraded' fab will laminate, frame and test solar PV modules. It will also produce bifacial modules as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), under license from its global partner Talesun Solar.
The installation and commissioning process has already contributed to sustaining almost 100 jobs of local service providers. In terms of direct local employment due to the upgrade is in excess of 200 jobs with a further 1,100 indirect jobs.
"As a development funding institution with a mandate to strengthen industrial capacity in our country and contribute to sustainable economic growth, the IDC takes pride in providing funding to power ARTsolar's next phase of growth and related upgrading of the new M12 Bifacial PV module manufacturing plant," said Industrial Development Corporation's (IDC) Divisional Executive: Manufacturing, Imran Sayed.
ARTSolar already operates a 300 MW annual production facility in Durban which it claims was originally designed to manufacture for Bosch in Germany, and later became South Africa's 1st company to produce significant quantities of solar panels for the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP).
"The inauguration of the 325 MW PV module facility in South Africa represents a new beginning and milestone for the collaboration between Talesun Solar and ARTsolar, and serves as a catalyst and model for the quality-focused development of not only the local PV industry but also the whole of the local economy," stated Talesun Solar.
The Chinese and South African companies had announced a collaboration in March 2022 (see China PV News Snippets).