Xinyi Glass, headquartered in China, has confirmed a plan to commit $700 million to a new solar panel glass production facility located in Egypt's Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), which is scheduled in two phases.
The new facility is anticipated to produce 1.5 million tons of solar panel glass and 1.1 million tons of high-purity silica sand per year, with high-purity sand being the most important feedstock for the production of solar glass as an enabling technology in the renewable energy industry. The majority of the solar glass produced in the new facility is slated for export to contribute to the growth of Egypt and the region's solar industry, as well as the global solar market.
Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly has voiced strong support for the project, emphasizing the need for swift execution. He has directed the relevant authorities to provide the necessary utilities and infrastructure to accelerate the plant’s development and ensure its rapid operationalization.
Xinyi Glass is in the phase of acquiring the necessary regulatory approvals ahead of construction. If approved, the company expressed interest in broadening its partnership with the government of Egypt on future glass manufacturing projects. If completed, these projects would strengthen Egypt's position as a hub for glass manufacturing in the region and develop more investment opportunities and overall efficiency in the local working industrial supply chain for other renewable energy products.
Egypt has been engaged in a concerted attempt to localize solar power components manufacturing in its overall renewable energy strategy. In October, the government classified solar cells as one of 12 strategic materials for local production in further demonstrable evidence of its commitment to strengthening the country’s solar energy sector. Through local manufacturing, Egypt is working to lessen its dependence on imports, bolster economic development, and position itself as a contributor to the global renewable energy market.