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Chinese-Omani team plans 10GW factory

24 July 2024

Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) company Q-Sun has signed an agreement with Oman-based Barakat Investment for the joint development of a solar module factory with a capacity of 10GW in Oman.

The planned manufacturing facility will have 8GW of PV manufacturing capacity and 2GW of PV cell production capacity, according to media reports citing Q-Sun.

The project demonstrates “our commitment to introducing cutting-edge technology, supporting the goals of Vision 2040 with concrete actions, and promoting economic growth through job creation and technological advancement”, said Ahmed Bin Saudi Al-Salmi, chief executive of Barakat Investment.

MEED understands the planned facility will cover both tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) and heterojunction (HJT) solar panels.

As of 2023, solar power installed capacity accounted for an estimated 5.5% of Oman’s total installed power generation capacity of approximately 12,600MW. The sultanate aims to increase this ratio six-fold by 2030.

The state offtaker, Nama Power & Water Procurement Company (PWP), said it plans to procure 1.5GW of renewable energy capacity by 2027, in addition to the 1,000MW of solar PV capacity under construction and a 500MW plant that is operational. 

The announcement to build a new solar PV factory in Oman comes on the heels of fellow GCC member state, Saudi Arabia, signing three new agreements to localise the manufacturing and assembly of equipment and components needed for solar and wind power projects.

Three Saudi plants

Renewable Energy Localisation Company (RELC) – a fully owned Public Investment Fund (PIF) company – entered into three agreements with Chinese-headquartered companies, the sovereign wealth fund announced on 16 July.

The first joint venture (JV) comprises China-headquartered wind power technology company Envision Energy and Saudi firm Vision Industries. The new company plans to manufacture and assemble wind turbine components including blades with an estimated annual generation capacity of 4GW. Under this agreement, RELC will hold 40% of the JV, with Envision holding 50% and Vision Industries holding 10%.

The second JV features China-based solar PV supplier Jinko Solar and Vision Industries. The JV entails localising the manufacture of PV cells and modules for high-efficiency solar generation. Under the agreement, which projects annual production of 10GW in generation capacity, RELC will hold 40% of the JV, with Jinko Solar holding 40% and Vision Industries holding 20%.

The final JV was formed by Lumetech, a subsidiary of China’s TCL Zhonghuan Renewable Energy, and Vision Industries. This deal will localise the production of solar PV ingots and wafers with annual production sufficient to generate 20GW of power. Under this agreement, RELC will hold 40% of the JV, with Lumetech holding 40% and Vision Industries having 20%.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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