In a major boost to Trina Solar’s plans to potentially bypass the anti-dumping duties that its China-made modules attract in the EU and the US, the company has announced operationalisation of a manufacturing facility in Thailand.
Trina Solar announced that production at its 500 MW solar module manufacturing facility, located at Rayong (Thailand), has commenced. The facility has the capacity to produce 500 MW of solar photovoltaic modules every year with potential to expand this capacity to 600 MW. The facility also has the capacity to produce 700 MW of solar cells every year.
The company seems set to utilise the facility for exports to western countries. “The investment in Thailand fits our strategy of prudent capacity expansion in select overseas markets to deliver industry leading products to customers in the US and Europe in particular as we strive to increase the profitability of the company,” said Mr. Jifan Gao, Chairman and CEO of Trina Solar.
Several Chinese and Taiwanese companies have started developing overseas manufacturing facilities so as to circumvent the anti-dumping duties levied by the European Union. Zhongli Talesun will set up a manufacturing facility and also develop 1 GW of solar power projects over the next 3 years. Taiwan-based Gintech Energy also announced $45 million investment to develop 350 MW solar cell production facility. Yingli Solar’s subsidiary Hainan Yingli New Energy Resource announced the joint venture with Demeter Power to set up a 300 MW facility.