JA Solar ships 100MW to Pakistan
JA Solar Holdings has announced that it shipped 100MW of modules to the first large-scale solar farm in Pakistan.
Occupying 500 acres of land, the solar farm is located within the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The Solar Park will serve to address the country's energy shortage and is a key project of the China"“Pakistan Economic Corridor, an under-construction development program for energy and infrastructure projects to connect China to southern Pakistan and develop a new gateway for trade. Energy demand in Pakistan has grown approximately 8 percent annually, leaving the country with an estimated deficit in energy production of 6 GW.
Punjab, the province in which the project is located, enjoys some of the highest solar irradiance in the world. With approximately 3000 hours of sunlight each year, the region is highly suitable for PV power generation. This project is located in an arid region where temperatures reach up to 50 degrees celcius during the summer. The extremely hot and dry climate demands the highest quality modules.
JA Solar supplied its modules under the supervision of PV Lab Germany GmbH, an authoritative third-party accredited laboratory which sets strict standards for raw material selection, manufacturing processes and quality inspection. JA Solar proved its reliability, high conversion efficiency and high power output by passing strict testing and shipping product on time. Tests included Electroluminescence Inspection and the 3à—IEC Standard Thresher Test.
Mr. Yong Liu, Chief Operation Officer of JA Solar, commented, "The harsh and arid climate in Pakistan is a great challenge for our solar modules. Successfully shipping 100MW of our modules is a testament to the high quality and reliability of our products."
Mr. Jian Xie, President of JA Solar, added, "The establishment of the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park is an important means to attract foreign investment for Pakistan's energy industry. By completing 100MW of shipments to Pakistan, JA has achieved a new milestone in its effort to expand globally into new markets. As a module supplier for the first large-scale solar farm in Pakistan, we proved that our cost-effective products will add significant value for our down-stream customers by increasing power generation and reducing installation costs."
The Punjab Government announced its initial intention to establish a 700 MW solar park, but later increased its target to 1 GW.
