Carbons's integrated gigafactory project for photovoltaic cells and modules in Fos-sur-Mer, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, aims to contribute to France's ambition for reindustrialization. With a planned production capacity of 5 GW, Carbon will contribute to the target set by the State (10 GW of photovoltaic cell and module production capacity in France by 2030) within the European context of the REPowerEU plan and the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA).
The gigafactory for photovoltaic products shall be built on approximately 60 hectares of industrial facilities at the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille (GPMM), in the heart of the industrial port zone of Fos-sur-Mer, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, within the territory of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis.
Investment of 1.5 billion euros
The integrated PV factory (from ingot to module, including wafer and cell production) will have an annual production capacity of 5 GW of photovoltaic cells and 3.5 GW of photovoltaic modules. Its commissioning is planned for late 2025 with a gradual ramp-up in 2026. The investment budget amounts to 1.5 billion euros. Beyond the construction phase, the project shall create more than 3,000 direct and sustainable jobs in the region.
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As a founding member of the European Solar Industry Alliance (ESIA), Carbon will benefit from the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) like other strategic industrial projects. In France, the forthcoming law on green industry - the draft of which was presented today to the Council of Ministers - will also provide a more favorable framework.
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"Carbon's announcement comes at a crucial moment. France and Europe must quickly reposition themselves in the photovoltaic value chain to avoid shifting from one dependence to another. This is a concrete illustration of our desire for reconquest”, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Energy Transition said.
Green reindustrialization bill
"This announcement by Carbon is good news for the French and European photovoltaic industry that we aim to revitalize. The stakes are high: we have set ambitious targets for the development of solar electricity, and now we need to accelerate the organization and industrialization of a sector that should be relocalized around efficient ecosystems. We continue to work on both the green reindustrialization bill and the long-term prospects for this promising industry”, Roland Lescure, Minister Delegate for Industry underlined. (hcn)
