China’s JA Solar Heads To Oman With 9 GW Solar Manufacturing Plans

Chinese solar PV manufacturer JA Solar Technology has announced manufacturing expansion with plans to establish 6 GW of high-efficiency solar cells and 3 GW of high-efficiency module production capacity in Oman.  

JA Solar will realize this capacity as part of a joint venture (JV) in Oman Sohar Free Trade Zone. It will be implemented in phases whose schedule will be adjusted based on ‘internal and external operating environment.’ 

It will be built for an estimated RMB 3.96 billion ($542 million) which is 11.27% of the manufacturer’s latest audited net assets, announced the company in a stock exchange announcement.   

JA Solar says the overseas business accounts for more than 50% of its global sales. As demand continues to grow globally and international trade protection policies become frequent, it sees the urgency to expand its overseas production capacity.  

“The investment and construction of this overseas production capacity project meets the needs of the company's global development strategy, can enhance the overseas production capacity of high-efficiency products, better serve the international market, and enhance the company's core competitiveness,” stated the company. 

With the Oman project, JA Solar has joined an expanding list of Chinese PV manufacturers setting up production bases in the Middle East, including Oman. Earlier this year, Drinda announced 5 GW solar cell capacity plans for Oman, followed by Q-SUN entering a JV for 8 GW of solar module and 2 GW of cell capacity in the Sohar Freezone (see Q-SUN Solar To Build 10 GW Solar Cell & Module Production Facility In Oman).   

Oman is also encouraging the entire solar PV supply chain as it gets ready to host a 100,000-ton polysilicon plant by United Solar Holding. The Sohar Port and Freezone recently announced completion of the transportation of 69 oversized shipment units for United Solar (see Middle East & Africa Solar PV News Snippets: International Investment Firm Backs Oman Polysilicon Project & More).  

JA Solar is also setting up 2 solar PV manufacturing facilities in Egypt with 2 GW capacity each for cells and panels in collaboration with Global South Utilities (see JA Solar Headed To Egypt For 4 GW Solar Cell & Module Production).  

JA Solar’s current annual production capacity stands at 85 GW for ingots and wafers each and 100 GW for cells and modules each, according to the company’s Head of European Technical Team, Ignacio Espinosa as he shared the same during his presentation at the TaiyangNews Reliable PV Module Design Virtual Conference (see PV Manufacturer’s Perspective: Balancing Cost & Quality).