• Egypt launches $220 million ATUM Solar complex in Suez Canal zone

• Project includes 2-GW solar cells, panels, and 1-GWh storage

• Solar output for export, storage to supply local, regional markets

Egyptian authorities on Monday, Dec. 15, launched construction of an integrated industrial complex for the manufacture of solar cells, photovoltaic panels and energy storage systems in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

The project, named ATUM Solar, is located in the TEDA Egypt industrial zone in Ain Sokhna. It covers 200,000 square meters and represents a total investment of $220 million. The complex will include a solar cell factory with a capacity of 2 GW, a 2-GW solar panel plant, and an energy storage systems unit with a capacity of 1 GWh.

The development will be led by a consortium bringing together China’s JA Solar as a technological investor, Egyptian firm AH for industrial management, the Emirati company Global South Utilities (GSU), and Bahraini fund Infinity Capital.

Officials said all solar cell output will be exported, while energy storage systems will primarily supply the local market as well as selected regional markets.

In November, Hossam Heiba, director general of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), said Egypt plans to launch large-scale industrial production of solar panels from early 2026, with local content reaching up to 90%. Several factories are expected to enter service in the first quarter of 2026. Heiba said the move marks a major structural shift in the development of a national renewable energy industry, particularly in the solar sector.

The project aligns with Egypt’s broader energy strategy, which aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the electricity mix while positioning the country as a regional hub for the production and export of clean energy and related equipment.

Abdoullah Diop