250 MW module manufacturing plant in Bulgaria

‘100% European Materials’ Promised At 250 MW Bulgarian Module Plant

By Saur News Bureau/ Updated On Mon, May 6th, 2024

Europe’s ongoing efforts to preserve solar manufacturing within the continent got a small boost with the installation of a 250 MW automated production plant in Bulgaria. Set up by Italian solar manufacturing machinery producer Ecoprogetti, the plant is owned by Bulgarian company Solar Panel Eood and will produce solar modules in an automated process with “100% European materials”, according to a release from Ecoprogetti. Solar Panel Eood is a Bulgarian owned firm that is part of the Smart Energy Group.

Ecoprogretti said: “Every stage of the production process has been meticulously optimised to ensure maximum efficiency and precision with the fewest possible manpower. The machines supplied to Solar Panel Eood are of the highest automation level, with advanced methods of full traceability and production monitoring.”

Ecoprogetti said that the technology supplied to the plant is good for producing both Passivated Emitter/Rear Contact (PERC) and Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) cells and modules. Besides that , the production line contained “state-of-the-art testing equipment” that will allow the manufacturer to offer 30-year warranties on the modules.

Europe’s solar manufacturing ecosystem has been in dire straits of late, with manufacturers complaining of their inability to match Chinese imports on prices that have ruled in the past few months. So much so, that while some have voted with their feet and shut down or moved out of Europe, others have demanded state support in the form of funding as well as non-tariff support in terms of supply chain emissions and more to make a case for making in Europe.

The continent saw over 55 GW of solar capacity additions in 2023, and is on course to cross the 60 GW figure comfortably in 2024. At the same time, over 50 GW of module inventory is already being held by various players, making it very tough to force a market change in the near future.