LONGi has deployed 54.1MW of its Hi-MO 9 back contact (BC) modules at a solar park in Romania’s Arad county. Developed for NEPI Rockcastle (a SOLPOWER Energy subsidiary) and engineered by EPC partner Enevo Group, this utility-scale project—Romania’s largest solar installation for retail infrastructure—will directly decarbonize NEPI Rockcastle’s property portfolio, showcasing BC technology’s pivotal role in grid-scale renewable transitions.
The Chișineu-Criș facility features 84,000 Hi-MO 9 modules, strategically deployed to maximize energy autonomy for NEPI Rockcastle’s retail assets. The plant has been in full ownership of the leading owner and developer of shopping centers across Central and Eastern Europe since last year. Construction started in January 2025 and remains on schedule for a Q4 grid connection. The project exemplifies BC technology’s scalability, with Hi-MO 9’s 24.8% module efficiency and -0.26%/°C temperature coefficient ensuring optimal performance in Romania’s continental climate.
“This project exemplifies how BC technology transforms utility-scale solar into a reliable backbone for major infrastructure. Hi-MO 9’s unmatched performance ensures NEPI Rockcastle’s portfolio achieves energy stability,” commented Mirel Jarnea, Country Manager for LONGi’s Utility Scale Business Unit.
Faced with Romania’s grid limitations and land efficiency demands, Hi-MO 9’s back contact architecture eliminates front-grid shading losses to achieve an 8% higher yield versus TOPCon products. Its PID/LID resistance guarantees 30-year performance stability—critical for NEPI Rockcastle’s long-term asset strategy—while minimizing maintenance costs across the 54.1MW site.
Eduard Meiloiu, Executive Director for ENEVO’s Renewables BU, added: “Our collaboration with LONGi has been seamless from start to finish, reflecting a truly efficient and aligned partnership. BC technology has brought clear engineering advantages — from higher efficiency and improved thermal performance to long-term reliability. Our engineering team greatly appreciated the precision and flexibility of the solution, which enabled us to deliver a robust project tailored to local conditions and fully aligned with Romania’s sustainability goals.”
The project is expected to generate some 70,171 MWh of clean electricity each year, while eliminating 21,100 tons of CO2 emissions. Beyond environmental benefits, it will create over 100 local jobs and give priority to regional contractors, boosting the local economy.
Andrei Radu, Group Development Director at NEPI Rockcastle, concluded: “NEPI Rockcastle’s green energy program is advancing through three major stages, reflecting our long-term commitment to sustainability and decarbonization. We’re investing €110 million in new photovoltaic projects, including solar panel installations across 23 properties in CEE and greenfield developments in Romania totalling 159 MW in capacity. These efforts already enable us to generate 6% of our portfolio’s electricity needs and will help us reach our target of 84% renewable electricity usage. As part of this program, we partnered with LONGi specifically for the Chișineu-Criș solar project, where their high-efficiency photovoltaic modules are helping us deliver a flagship utility-scale development in Romania. This collaboration supports our strategic goal of enhancing the use of electricity from renewable sources and the energy autonomy of our retail assets.”
As Eastern Europe’s premier solar portfolio directly powering retail infrastructure, CEF Chișineu-Criș establishes a replicable model for large-scale renewable integration. With NEPI Rockcastle planning expansion across its property network, LONGi’s BC technology stands ready to accelerate Europe’s utility-scale revolution.
