Chinese Company Announces New 5 GW Solar Cell Production Fab In Oman

Chinese solar cell manufacturing company Hainan Drinda New Energy Technology has unveiled plans to build a 5 GW high-efficiency solar cell production facility in Oman, its 2nd factory announcement for the Middle Eastern country since the beginning of 2024.  

In June 2024, Drinda signed an agreement with the Oman Investment Authority for a 10 GW high-efficiency solar cell production facility, to be constructed in 2 phases of 5 GW each, based on TOPCon technology. Investment estimate was $700 million (see China Solar PV News Snippets).  

Last week on July 25, 2024, Drinda issued an announcement saying it will invest in the construction of the 5 GW cell fab in Oman for which it has secured the board’s approval for investment. It plans to bring in external shareholders to undertake the project through a joint venture (JV).  

Drinda expects an investment worth $280 million on building the new fab, while targeting commercial production in 2025.  

The 5 GW factory will need close to 400 mu, a unit of land measurement in China. It translates into around 66 acres. It plans to locate the factory in the Sohar Free Trade Zone of Oman in North Al Batinah Governorate. The location has strategic importance since it is located within the trade route between Europe and Asia as Drinda aims to explore its trade potential since the country has long-term free trade agreements with some western countries.  

In March 2024, a local company United Solar Holding laid the foundation stone laying ceremony for a 100,000 tons/year polysilicon production plant (see Polysilicon Manufacturing Plant Coming Up In Oman).  

At the end of 2023, Drinda had a p-type PERC cell production capacity of 9.5 GW and around 40 GW of n-type TOPCon cell capacity (see China Solar PV News Snippets).