German co Sonnex to set up 500MW Solar PV module hub in Bangladesh

With dozens of solar power plants in the establishment stage, a German company has come forward to set up a 500-megawatt (MW) Solar PV module-manufacturing hub in Bangladesh to tap the market potential here.

Sonnex Energie GmbH is a premium quality and high efficiency solar module maker which in the first phase will focus on comprehensive market development of Sonnex Energie in Bangladesh, ensuring deployment for the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) sector as well as utility-scale solar projects.

In the second phase the company will look to build its manufacturing capacity of 500 MW annually by 2028, scaling up to gigawatt (GW)-level production by 2035.

Apart from manufacturing, Sonnex will also collaborate in Capex Model, Opex model, utility scale project development, and corporate power purchase agreement.

In this regard, the German company along with Solar EPC Development Ltd, a market leader in turnkey solar solutions in Bangladesh, has set up a company namely Sonnex Energie (Bangladesh) by signing a joint venture deal on Wednesday.

Presently, Bangladeshi's photovoltaic (PV) modules market is dominated by low quality Chinese module. Establishment of a high quality solar panel manufacturing plant will help reduce dependence on imports while ensuring competitive pricing and superior quality, say the officials of the Sonnex Energie (Bangladesh).

They say, plans are underway to develop automated assembly plants, advanced testing laboratories, and solar-specific technical training centres-ensuring meaningful technology transfer and a skilled workforce to support a rapidly evolving green economy.

The venture would establish local logistics hubs and warehousing infrastructure to strengthen supply chain resilience. It would offer larger scaling of after-sales and O&M networks enabling long-term system performance and client satisfaction.

Eric Lee, Managing Director, Sonnex Energie GmbH, and Ezaz Al Qudrat A Mazid, Managing Director, Solar EPC Development Ltd, signed the deal on behalf of their respective companies.

Sonnex Energie GmbH has an annual production capacity of two gigawatts of solar pv module and expertise in high-efficiency solar technologies. They offer various solar modules, including PERC, high-efficiency N-type, and smart solar modules, with warranties ranging up to 30 years. Sonnex also produces on-grid and hybrid inverters.

The Bangladesh Power Development Board floated tenders for some 41 solar power plants totalling 2.63 GW between December last year and January this year. In March the BPDB also floated tenders for 14 solar power plants with total generation capacity of 2.65 GW.

Also in the same month, the Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO) floated tender to set up 120 MW solar power plants, mainly rooftops, in its jurisdiction area in Dhaka.

syful-islam@outlook.com