TCL Solar partners with Power & Sun to accelerate solar growth in Middle East, Africa, and Eurasia

TCL Solar has recently teamed up with Power & Sun Solar Equipments Trading LLC (Powernsun), a well-known renewable energy company based in the UAE, in a move to push solar power projects across the Middle East, Africa, and Eurasia. The partnership was officially announced during the 2025 Intersolar Europe trade show in Munich. According to the agreement, TCL Solar will supply around 300 MW of high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) modules to these regions. Moreover, Powernsun has been chosen as TCL Solar’s exclusive regional partner to jointly develop the distributed solar market—an effort that aims to boost the adoption of solar energy in emerging economies.

Wang Wei, who is the General Manager of TCL Solar’s Overseas Business, called this partnership a critical step forward, especially in line with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He pointed out that the Middle East serves as a strategic launchpad for expanding into African solar markets. Over the next few years, TCL Solar intends to use this foothold to broaden the reach of its PV system solutions, as developing countries’ energy demands continue to grow.

This collaboration forms part of a broader trend of rapid solar development in both the Middle East and Africa. This growth is driven by rising energy requirements and ambitious renewable energy targets in these regions. The Middle East, with its plentiful sunlight, is increasingly becoming a hotspot for solar innovation and big-scale projects. At the same time, Africa’s rapidly growing population and rising electrification efforts create significant opportunities, especially for distributed solar systems in rural and off-grid areas.

In a related move, TCL Solar recently announced a strategic partnership with GridAfrica, a local developer focusing on distributed energy projects in markets like Zimbabwe and Zambia. GridAfrica specializes in providing power for critical infrastructure—think data centers, telecom networks, and industrial facilities. The partnership plans to deploy roughly 100 MW of PV projects within 15 months, primarily targeting peak electricity times during the daytime (from around 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). This timing is crucial because it helps ease grid stress and improves reliability—something many African power systems are struggling with.

These kinds of partnerships highlight a growing awareness of the importance of distributed solar in achieving decentralized energy access. Especially in regions where traditional grid infrastructure is weak or unreliable, scalable and affordable solar solutions can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve overall energy security.

The evolving solar market in these areas is also getting a boost from sizable investments in local manufacturing and infrastructure. For instance, a subsidiary of TCL Zhonghuan is working with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Vision Industries to set up a solar ingot and wafer manufacturing plant with a capacity of 20 GW per year in Saudi Arabia. The factory aims to support the region’s booming renewable sector by providing a steady local supply of high-quality solar components—reducing reliance on imports and bolstering regional industry.

This effort fits well with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to diversify its energy sources and develop a sustainable, clean energy economy. The country already has some flagship solar projects, like the 300 MW Sakaka plant developed by ACWA Power, which at the time set a world record for the lowest tariff. ACWA Power also operates innovative concentrated solar power (CSP) plants in South Africa, showing that the Middle East and Africa are actively exploring a variety of solar tech.

Adding to this, the Tiakadougou–Dialakoro Solar Power Station in Mali, led by UAE-based Amea Power Group, exemplifies increasing Middle Eastern involvement in African renewables. The planned 50 MW plant, with a 25-year power purchase agreement, will help plug clean energy into Mali’s grid and support regional electrification efforts.

All these projects, along with TCL Solar’s partnerships with Powernsun and GridAfrica, paint a picture of a rapidly advancing solar landscape in the Middle East and Africa. They demonstrate how strategic collaborations, local manufacturing initiatives, and innovative project development are all pushing the sector forward. TCL Solar’s efforts, in particular, aren’t just about adding capacity; they aim to improve infrastructure and expand access to clean energy across these regions.

As governments and private companies keep prioritizing sustainable development and energy transition, these kinds of partnerships become all the more important. They play a key role in fighting energy poverty, lowering carbon emissions, and creating economic opportunities through job growth and technology transfer. TCL Solar and its partners are well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to the ambitious renewable energy goals in the region, helping to establish the Middle East and Africa as emerging, vast global solar markets with huge potential still to be tapped.

Source: Noah Wire Services