Chinese-owned solar manufacturer Astronergy has made plans to invest US$584 million in a solar cell plant in Turkey.
This investment is part of Turkey’s High Tech Turkiye Investment Incentive Programme (HIT-30) launched last year with a US$30 billion incentive from the government to support companies in several industries, including solar PV, and establish manufacturing capacity in the country.
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Along with the construction of a solar cell manufacturing plant, Astronergy aims to establish a tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) research and development (R&D) center. The project will be located in the central southern province of Adana.
Most of the solar cell production (80%) in the Turkish plant will be aimed at exports.
“We will establish a TOPCon R&D center to drive local technological innovation, which will create job positions for more local talents and contribute to Turkey’s green transformation goals,” said Chuan Lu, chairman and CEO at Astronergy.
PV Tech reached out to Astronergy regarding details on the Turkish solar cell plant.
Astronergy was among five solar manufacturers that will build solar cell capacity in Turkey, according to the country’s Ministry of Industry and Technology. The other companies are Alfa Solar Energy, CW Solar Cell Energy, Elin Semiconductor Technologies and Schmid Pekintaş Solar Energy Systems.
All five manufacturers combined will invest over US$2.5 billion in the construction of solar cell plants across the country.
Alfa Solar Energy solar cell processing plant will be located in the northwestern province of Kirklareli, near the border with Bulgaria and will invest US$390 million. CW Solar Cell Energy investment in a solar cell plant will be US$520 million and located in the central province of Ankara. Elin is expected to invest US$387 million with the solar cell plant located in the central province of Sivas; while Schmid has the largest investment with US$683 million and will be located in the northwestern province of Düzce.
