Alfa Solar and Astronergy plan solar cell wafer venture in Turkey

Turkish solar panel manufacturer Alfa Solar will collaborate with Germany-based Astronergy Europe to set up an integrated solar cell and wafer manufacturing facility in Turkey.

The two companies have signed a joint venture agreement stating that the project is being planned through Astronergy Yüksek Teknoloji Enerji Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., a company wholly owned by Astronergy Europe and registered with the Istanbul Commercial Register.

A statement on Türkiye’s Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) adds that Astronergy Europe and Alfa Solar plan to each hold 50% of the shares in the company following a planned share transfer or capital increase.

The planned cell and wafer production facility will be built on land allocated within the Organized Industrial Zone of Balıkesir in the northwestern province of Balıkesir. The target is an initial annual production capacity of 2.5 GW, starting with block cutting.

The first phase of work is estimated to require a total investment of approximately $200 million. The project is expected to benefit from the Ministry of Industry and Technology HIT-30 programan investment channel that supports manufacturing and strategic technology projects until the end of the decade.

According to details on its website, Ankara-based Alfa Solar currently produces 2.5 million units of solar panels annually through a production facility with a closed production area of ​​40,000 m². The company’s product line includes half-cut, bifacial and tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar panels.

Astronergy Europe is a subsidiary of the Chinese holding company Chint Group. Earlier this year, the company announced plans to invest $500 million in a production line for TOPCon solar cells. At the time, the factory was expected to produce locally manufactured solar cells, with at least 80% of production destined for export.

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