JA Solar supplies 1GW n-type modules to giant Chinese desert PV site

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The company began shipments to the project in early 2024, with completion announced today. Image: Wesley Tingey via Unsplash.

Major Chinese solar manufacturer JA Solar has delivered n-type solar modules to a 1GW solar PV project in China’s Ulan Buh desert.

JA said the Ulan Buh Desert Northeast New Energy Base is ultimately planned to be a 12GW solar and wind power hub in the Chinese autonomous region of Inner Mongolia. The first, 1GW ‘pilot project’ will be powered by JA’s n-type modules.

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

The company began shipments to the project in early 2024, with completion announced today.

An October 2023 post from the Shanghai Metals Market says that the Inner Mongolia Electric Power Energy Co. established a joint venture to build the Ulan Buh New Energy Base. The announcement says that the project will comprise 3.5GW of wind power and 8.5GW of solar PV capacity.

The Ulan Buh desert covers roughly 14,000 square kilometres of Inner Mongolia and, according to Chinese media, there have been efforts to “green” the area and reduce its desertification. Based on satellite images, there are already a number of large PV installations in the northeast area of the desert. The shade cast by solar modules can theoretically be used to encourage plant growth and irrigation in desert areas.

A JA Solar subsidiary was recently added to the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) entity list based on evidence that it sources polysilicon from the Xinjiang region of China. Xinjiang has been associated with alleged forced labour practices enacted by the Chinese state.

Following the UFLPA announcement, the Solar Stewardship Initiative – an industry traceability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) scheme founded by trade body SolarPower Europe – suspended JA Solar’s membership, pending an investigation.

10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will 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 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 27, 2025
Renewables investment platform Nexwell Power has signed a round of power purchase agreements (PPAs) with “one of the largest” US tech companies for solar PV capacity to be built in Spain.
June 27, 2025
Statkraft has signed PPAs with Better Energy to purchase energy from two solar power plants in Poland with a total capacity of 64GWh.
June 27, 2025
Solar developer Lightsource bp has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with a subsidiary of Taiwanese energy firm HD Renewable Energy (HDRE).
June 26, 2025
ACEN has partnered with UPC Renewables to build two renewable projects in Rajasthan and Karnataka, India. 

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
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