German solar PV manufacturer AE Solar has proposed to launch a solar panel production facility in Romania with 2 GW initial capacity, eventually scaling it up to 10 GW annually which will represent a 3rd of the European demand.
Phase I of the proposed investment is likely to be carried out this year itself, according to the company that made the offer to Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă recently. It will be expanded to 10 GW 'upon completion of the full integration of production flows in Romania'.
"This investment will place Romania at the center of European solar panel manufacturing, contributing substantially to energy independence and environmental protection by using renewable, clean energy for electricity generation," said Ciucă.
To be built for an investment of €1 billion, the fab may secure funds from the government or a European Union (EU) funding to realize the facility. Notably, in February 2023 the European Commission (EC) approved a €259 million state aid for Romania to support investments in the production, assembly and recycling of solar cells, panels and batteries (see Solar PV Manufacturing Slated To Come To Romania).
Black Sea Universities Network, a cooperation framework between academic institutions from the Black Sea region, will involve its specialists for the project 'cooperating through a science park complementary to the production facilities'.
Owned by Germany's AE Invest GmbH (65%) and Chin hope Co Ltd (35%), AE Solar currently has a factory in Turkey and another one in China with a total annual module production capacity of 1.7 GW.
European solar manufacturing scene is heating up as the EC prepares to share details of the promised Green Deal Industrial Plan to back clean energy technologies in the European Union (EU) (see EU Promises Green Deal Industrial Plan For Clean Technology). Recently, Iberdrola said it will set up a solar panel manufacturing plant in Spain (see Iberdrola Joins Hands With Exiom For Solar Manufacturing In EU).
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