Chinese solar module manufacturer DAS Solar plans to build a 3 GW solar module assembly factory in Mandeure, a commune in Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France.

“Work on the new manufacturing facility is progressing rapidly,” Frédéric Barbier, the director of the factory project, told pv magazine France, noting that it will require an initial investment of €109 million ($124.1 million).

Das Solar purchased a production site from the French government on Nov. 18, 2024, for €1.4 million. The site had been abandoned since French automotive company Faurecia vacated it in 2020. Asbestos removal began on Dec. 16, 2024, and the main building – set to house PV module assembly lines – has since been cleaned.

“We are therefore meeting our deadlines for the three planned 1 GW lines,” said Barbier. “We plan to commission the first two by the end of 2025 and the third by 2026.”

The modules will be based on n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology, already in use at the group’s Asian facilities, and designed for floating, rooftop, and carport PV applications.

Das Solar will import PV cells produced in China. It also plans to build a 5 GW cell manufacturing plant – using the same technology as in China – in a building next to the first facility. The project could require a €650 million investment and create 2,500 jobs. The company aims to apply for a building permit in May 2025, begin construction in October 2025, and start operations in 2026.

Das Solar said on April 11 that it had signed its first two agreements in France: one with Suez to reprocess end-of-life solar panels, and another with the Île-de-France Photovoltaic Institute for technological development. The company aims to build a regional industrial hub for the solar sector, though it did not discuss its future projects. For the other components of the solar panels, it plans to work with its Chinese and European subcontractors.

Das Solar operates 14 factories throughout the world, with a total panel and cell capacity of 55 GW. It exports its products to 73 countries. Its revenue reached $3.71 billion in 2023.