SunPower Corporation has announced plans to own and operate a solar panel manufacturing facility in Cape Town, South Africa, in response to the growing demand for solar in that region. Here, SunPower will manufacture its high-efficiency SunPower E20/440 Solar Panels, with the expectation to produce up to 160 MW annually. This facility will also house SunPower's engineering, procurement and construction offices, as well as its operations & management operations.
"SunPower has a significant presence in the South African solar market, including two large power plants built this year and another one that will begin construction soon,” said Marty Neese, SunPower COO. “By manufacturing our high-efficiency solar panels at this new facility, we will not only help the local economy,1 but continue to deliver clean, renewable energy to this region.”
Earlier this year, SunPower completed construction of two ground-mounted solar projects totaling 33-MW located near Douglas in the Northern Cape Town province. Additionally, SunPower has been appointed as the preferred EPC and O&M contractor for an 86-MWdc project in the round three Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement program by the MULILO-TOTAL consortium.
The new facility is expected to open in 2015.
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1. SunPower estimates that it will create up to 150 local jobs and will begin recruitment efforts in the first quarter of 2015.