Carbon acquires Photowatt

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From pv magazine France

French solar module manufacturer Carbon has completed the acquisition of PV maker Photowatt from EDF Renouvelables, a subsidiary of French energy giant EDF.

Photowatt will be integrated into Carbon's industrial project, which includes plans for a 500 MW solar panel assembly unit and a 5 GW photovoltaic cell and 3.5 GW module manufacturing facility by 2026-27.

Carbon said it will also set up the Carbon Lab, a research center to support its manufacturing operations, with a focus on scaling production by 2027.

Carbon has proposed a €40 million investment to create a 500 MW photovoltaic module production unit at Photowatt's Bourgoin-Jallieu site, set for completion by the end of 2025.

Carbon said the acquisition is a strategic step to meet growing demand for Made-in-France solar panels, particularly in the residential market, and to optimize production processes. Photowatt will also serve as a pilot facility for testing and refining module production.

EDF Renewables, which acquired Photowatt in 2012, had been seeking an industrial partner to manage the 170-employee factory, which has faced financial challenges due to Chinese competition. EDF Renewables believes Carbon’s acquisition will provide new momentum for Photowatt and help secure jobs at the site.

“EDF Renewables considers that the acquisition project for Photowatt proposed by Carbon would provide new impetus to sustain the company’s activity and secure jobs on the site,” said Bruno Fyot, deputy CEO of EDF Renewables.

Carbon still needs to secure €1.7 billion to build its 5 GW factory in Fos-sur-Mer, France.

Photowatt, founded in 1979 as a Philips spinoff for satellite PV cell research, shifted to industrial production in 1990 but has struggled to compete with Chinese manufacturers, despite its current 200 MW capacity.

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