Chinese solar company launches plant in S. Africa

CAPE TOWN - Chinese company JinkoSolar Holding Co Ltd on Tuesday officially opened a solar PV module production facility in Cape Town.

The plant is expect to produce 1,300 solar panels per day with a turnover of 600 million rand ($56 million) per year.

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The solar panels, which are mounted onto the roof of a house or property, are expected to help in taking the load off the power grid of the state-run electricity utility Eskom, according to Morgan Peng of Jinko Solar, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies welcomed the opening of this facility as part of his ministry's drive to expand the capabilities of the South African manufacturing industry, to increase the country's industrial base and create the much needed jobs in Cape Town.

Davies said the green economy has been identified as a key focus area in his department's Industrial Policy Action Plan, and provides significant opportunities for job creation, localisation and economic growth.

Speaking at the launch, Western Cape Premier Hellen Zille said the company's decision to open its first factory outside China in the Western Cape was good news for job creation.

"The reason I am excited is this plant will create 250 direct jobs. Other indirect jobs will be created, as we are not expecting jobs to be created within the plant only, but there will be more work created post production through installations," Zille said.

She said the Western Cape provincial government had forged a partnership with a local technology tertiary institution to send local students to China in a bid to train them.