A new generation of assembly plants is turning imported cells into finished panels, creating thousands of jobs and shaving costs off domestic solar deployment.
The harder question is whether the region can move upstream. Cell fabrication requires reliable power, deep capital and technical staff — precisely the constraints the industry is meant to relieve.
Government incentives have so far favoured assembly because it delivers visible employment quickly. Industry executives argue that without a fabrication anchor, the sector remains exposed to import shocks.