Das Solar invests €109mn in photovoltaic plant in France

Chinese group Das Solar begins construction of its first European factory in Mandeure, with an initial 2 GW capacity and the planned creation of 600 jobs.

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

Chinese group Das Solar has begun work on its first industrial site in Europe, located in the town of Mandeure near Montbéliard in eastern France. The investment amounts to €109mn ($116mn) for a photovoltaic panel assembly plant built on a 10-hectare industrial wasteland acquired from the Pays de Montbéliard urban community.

The new facility will feature two production lines, with an initial total annual capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW). The modules produced will be intended for floating solar infrastructures, rooftops, or canopies. According to Frédéric Barbier, director of the installation project, the panels will use the “N-TOPCon” technology already deployed in the group’s Asian facilities.

An expansion project subject to demand

Das Solar is also planning a second production unit of 2 GW in the region, bringing the total investment to €190mn ($202mn). However, the implementation of this second phase will depend on the volume of incoming orders, Barbier said.

Founded in 2018, Das Solar currently operates 14 factories worldwide, with a total capacity of 55 GW. Its turnover for 2023 reached $3.71bn (€3.2bn), according to company data.

Industrial ecosystem planned in Doubs

In addition to this first development, Das Solar is considering building a photovoltaic cell manufacturing plant in Sochaux, upstream in the production chain. This project could involve a €650mn ($692mn) investment and the creation of 2,500 jobs, including the relocation of component suppliers such as adhesive film, connector and aluminium frame manufacturers.

Rémi Bastille, Prefect of the Doubs, stated that the government would provide financial support for the initiative, though no specific details have been disclosed. Representatives from the employers’ federation Union des industries et métiers de la métallurgie (UIMM) have already travelled to China to help define the job profiles required.

Industrial partnerships and research support

Das Solar has also signed an agreement with utility group Suez for the recycling of end-of-life panels, along with a partnership with the Institut photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France for research and development purposes. The strategy aims to establish a regional industrial cluster around the solar sector, although the company has not disclosed a timeline for the potential projects.

Two other large-scale photovoltaic panel factories are also planned in France. HoloSolis is developing a site in Hambach (Moselle), while Carbon is planning a plant in Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille.

US-based solar developer Ampliform secured a loan facility of up to $165mn to support large-scale energy projects in key regional markets, with a focus on the PJM grid.
More than 75 solar projects in the United States were tax-sheltered in Q2 through GameChange BOS transformers, responding directly to new U.S. Treasury requirements.
Chanel has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with REDEN to supply nearly one-third of its electricity needs in France from two photovoltaic plants commissioned in 2025.
i Grid Solutions and Tokyu Land will develop an additional 200MW of on-site solar under power purchase agreements by 2029 through their joint venture TLC VPP, with an investment exceeding JPY20bn ($133mn).
US-based developer Janta Power secures funding to expand its vertical photovoltaic towers across data centres, airports, charging stations and critical infrastructure.
The global floating solar panel market could triple by 2030, supported by energy demand and favourable regulations, according to the latest double-digit annual growth forecasts.
SMFL Mirai Partners commits to purchasing fifty low-voltage solar plants from GreenEnergy Plus, targeting 50MW installed capacity by fiscal 2030 to strengthen its supply strategy for private power purchase agreements.
Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, secured $825mn to develop a 150 MWac solar plant and a 600 MWh storage site in Maricopa County, in partnership with Arizona Public Service.
Canadian firm Stardust Solar grants its first African franchise to Megatricity Energy in Zambia, launching a new phase of expansion into emerging solar energy markets.
French energy company elmy finalises a €3.5mn bank loan with Caisse d’Epargne Rhône Alpes to fund 13 new photovoltaic plants with a combined capacity of 3.6 MWp.
Ampyr Solar Europe has connected a 45MWp solar cluster to the grid, made up of three sites spanning 40 hectares in Germany, supplying electricity to 13,000 households.
The independent commission approved development of the Glorit solar project, with a capacity of 147 megawatts (MW), north of Auckland, following a detailed assessment of environmental, land-use, and economic impacts.
i Grid Solutions and CPower have partnered to accelerate the deployment of solar plants through on-site power purchase agreements, targeting 30MW of installed capacity by 2028.
PowerBank has signed a lease for a 1.76 MW ground-mounted solar project in upstate New York, aiming to power around 200 homes through a community-based programme.
AXIAN Energy has acquired a majority stake in the Bangweulu solar plant in Zambia, strengthening its pan-African solar strategy while entering a rapidly growing energy market.
Sun Trinity has commissioned a 3.1 MW solar carport in Nara, bringing its on-site PPA capacity with Aeon Mall to 10.1 MW under a nationwide rollout plan across twelve commercial sites.
A joint programme funded with CHF15.12mn ($19mn) aims to boost energy efficiency and renewables in Alpine regions by 2029.
Aurora Renewables will develop an intelligent microgrid combining solar, batteries and digital simulation technology to enhance power supply in northern Saskatchewan.
Norwegian firm Scatec expands its presence in West Africa with two solar projects totalling 64 MW and a 10 MWh storage system, under lease agreements signed in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The New South Wales Government has approved Ark Energy’s hybrid solar and battery project in Richmond Valley, combining a solar power plant and long-duration storage.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.