New York Stock Exchange-listed Chinese company Jinko Solar opened its R80-million, 120MW solar photovoltaic (PV) module production facility in Cape Town yesterday.
Morgan Peng, MD of Jinko Solar, said the plant is expected to produce 1 300 solar panels per day, and these panels are expected to help in taking the load off Eskom's power grid.
Peng said the plant is expected to produce 120MW by the end of the year.
According to Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, the opening of a solar panel manufacturing plant in Cape Town is good for job creation and has the potential to create secondary industries.
"The reason I am excited is this plant will create 250 direct jobs. Other indirect jobs will be created, as we are not expecting jobs to be created within the plant only, but there will be more work created post production through installations," she said.
Rob Davies minister of Trade and Industry noted that Jinko Solar had opened the facility in response to the roll-out of the renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme, through which 148MW of solar PV projects had been procured.
Since the beginning of the undertaking it had deployed 300MW of solar PV panels, reaching around 30% of market share, Davies said.
Davies said this once again highlights the attractiveness of SA as an investment destination and will contribute further to establishing the country as a hub for renewable energy and other green economy industries.
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