In the presence of senior government officials and international investors, the foundation stone of  ATUM Solar, an integrated manufacturing complex for solar cells, panels, and energy storage systems, was laid on December 17 in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE).

The project, which has a total investment of $220 million, brings together partners from four countries: China’s JA Solar as technical investor, Egypt’s AH for Industrial Management, the UAE’s Global South Utilities (GSU), and Bahrain’s Infinity Capital.

The complex spans over 200,000 square meters (m²) within the TEDA Egypt industrial park at Ain Sokhna Integrated Zone and comprises three facilities: a solar cell manufacturing plant with 2 gigawatts (GW) capacity, a solar panel plant with 2 GW capacity, and an energy storage systems facility with a capacity to store 1 gigawatt-hour (GWh), a cabinet statement noted.

The full production of the solar cell plant will be exported; meanwhile, the energy in the storage facility will be directed to cover part of the local demand, and the rest will be exported to regional markets.

The project will gradually increase local content ratios by relying on locally produced aluminum and glass as production inputs, the statement added.

Kamel El Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, and Walid Gamal El Din, Chairman of the SCZONE, attended the groundbreaking ceremony along with the UAE Ambassador to Cairo, and Tsao Hui, Managing Director of TEDA Egypt.

Gamal El Din affirmed that the project supports the authority’s efforts to localize green energy industries and integrate their value chains, including solar cells, panels, and storage systems.

The facility brings together complementary expertise spanning manufacturing, industrial management, renewable energy development, and investment. A Solar, a leading Chinese photovoltaic manufacturer, has established  a significant presence in Egypt’s energy sector through multiple projects, including a 1.25 GW module supply project for the Abydos Phase II solar-plus-storage project and a 10.1 megawatt (MW) ground-mounted power plant in Toshka, Aswan.

GSU, part of Abu Dhabi’s Resources Investment, focuses on renewable energy development across the Middle East and Africa, recently announcing $1 billion in energy projects for Yemen, including solar, wind, and distribution network initiatives.

AH for Industrial Management, led by Egyptian industrialist Ahmed Abu Hashima, is a part of the Egyptian Industrial Investment Group, which includes Egyptian Steel.

Infinity Capital, the Bahraini partner, brings financial expertise to the consortium. The company had a diversified portfolio including real estate, private equity, venture capital, and financial securities across numerous geographies.