Ethiopia, Toyo Begins Solar Cell Push

Key Figures & Findings: Tokyo-headquartered Toyo, a solar manufacturer specializing in TOPCon solar cell technology, has commenced production at its newly built 2 GW solar cell factory in Hawassa, Ethiopia. The factory, first announced in October 2024 with a $60 million investment, marks Toyo’s strategic move to diversify its manufacturing footprint and strengthen its position in key international markets, particularly the U.S., where it is developing a new module facility in Houston. CEO Junsei Ryu emphasized the significance of the Ethiopian facility, calling 2025 “a year of massive growth” driven by surging external demand and internal scaling. Toyo plans to double the site’s nameplate capacity to 4 GW within the next year.

Statistics & Insights: The Hawassa plant aims to produce 80 MW of solar cells by the end of April and will scale to 150–200 MW per month from mid-2025. Toyo’s projected expansion to 4 GW will make it one of Africa’s largest solar manufacturing operations.

Future Implications: If Toyo completes its expansion by 2026, Ethiopia could emerge as a strategic solar manufacturing hub supporting both African electrification goals and global clean energy supply chains. The project may also attract further foreign direct investment into Ethiopia’s industrial zones.

Source: PV Magazine