GCL Group adds Egypt to expanding manufacturing footprint plans

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The largest solar PV manufacturer in the world GCL Group has had its plans for a major 5GW manufacturing hub in Egypt approved by the National Authority for Military Production. Image: GCL

The largest solar PV manufacturer in the world GCL Group has had its plans for a major 5GW manufacturing hub in Egypt approved by the National Authority for Military Production.

GCL Group, which includes publically listed subsidiaries such as Leading polysilicon and multicrystalline wafer producer GCL-Poly Energy Holdings and ‘Silicon Module Super League’ (SMSL) member, GCL System Integrated Technology Co and downstream project developer, GCL New Energy Holdings had combined annual revenue of over US$6.6 billion in 2017. 

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Reports in May, 2018 had highlighted an MOU signed between the Egyptian ministry and GCL Group, highlighting plans for a 5GW module assembly plant at a cost of US$2 billion. 

The level of investment would indicate GCL planned to build an integrated manufacturing hub that would include ingot/wafer, cell and module production. Details of the plans remain limited.
 
However, the news that the Chinese government is implementing major caps on the growth of PV deployments in the country, indicates that major PV companies such as GCL and rival LONGi Green Energy have already determined that overseas growth would be required to meet ambitious goals over the coming years. 

LONGi Group and GCL Group are expanding production into India, while GCL Group has previously touted the possibility to expand into Saudi Arabia.

LONGi already has cell and module production in Malaysia and GCL has the same in Vietnam. 

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

June 30, 2025
Australian module manufacturer Tindo Solar has secured a 30MW solar module supply agreement to power Australia's first "net zero pipeline”.
June 27, 2025
Indian solar manufacturer Premier Energies has commissioned its 1.2GW TOPCon solar cell manufacturing line at Fab City, Hyderabad, Telangana.
June 26, 2025
International researchers led by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a new cooling technology that improves the power and longevity of solar cells.
June 26, 2025
A group of minority shareholders in Norwegian silicon firm REC Silicon has triggered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the closure of the company’s US polysilicon production site.
June 26, 2025
PV solar cell manufacturer Halocell Energy has launched its first perovskite-based product called the Halocell Ambient Modules.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
July 2, 2025
Bangkok, Thailand
Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece