JinkoSolar’s Saudi Odyssey: Decades of Innovation and the Road to Vision 2030 – Robin Li, General Manager (MEA&CA)

As JinkoSolar celebrates its 20th Anniversary, how do you reflect on your growth journey in Saudi Arabia and the key milestones that strengthened your presence in the Kingdom?

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, Saudi Arabia has established itself as our most critical and best-performing market in the MEA region since 2021. At the time, the market was facing considerable pressure from escalating material costs in the wake of COVID-19, with polysilicon prices reaching historic highs—triggering widespread delays across key projects, including the 1.8 GW Sudair, 3.2 GW Al Shuaibah, and 800 MW Ar Rass 1, among others.

Recognizing that P-type modules no longer met the evolving demands of the market, JinkoSolar moved decisively, introducing Topcon modules at gigawatt-scale. Leveraging their superior power generation efficiency, enhanced reliability, and improved cost-effectiveness, our Topcon products quickly gained strong traction with developers and proved to be an ideal fit for existing projects. As a result, we achieved a peak market share of over 95% in one single month in 2022.

While competition has since intensified, leading to a modest reduction in our market share, we have consistently maintained the leading shipment position in Saudi Arabia. In 2023, we secured two major awards—the 3.8 GW PIF 3 project and the 990 MW NEOM green hydrogen project—followed by the 3 GW PIF 4 project in 2024. These milestones represent significant strategic achievements for us in this emerging market.

With Saudi Arabia accelerating renewable deployment under Saudi Vision 2030, how is JinkoSolar aligning its long-term strategy to support the country’s ambitious solar targets?

I believe JinkoSolar’s support for Saudi Vision 2030 can be seen in two key areas.

First, we consistently supply high-quality, high-performance Topcon modules for the Kingdom’s large-scale, gigawatt-level photovoltaic projects. We work closely with leading global and local developers as well as EPC contractors, collaborating across different projects to help ensure their success and contribute to the Kingdom’s renewable energy targets.

Second, we have pursued deeper collaboration beyond module supply. This includes early-stage partnerships with Chinese OEM manufacturers, as well as ongoing discussions with local investors regarding potential manufacturing investments in Saudi Arabia. A recent example is our delivery of 360 MW of locally manufactured modules for the PIF 4 project. Looking ahead, we are in active discussions with Vision Industries and the Public Investment Fund on a potential joint venture to establish module and cell manufacturing facilities in the Kingdom in the coming years.

Saudi Arabia’s extreme climate poses technical challenges; how are JinkoSolar’s advanced PV modules engineered to ensure high efficiency and durability in desert conditions?

At JinkoSolar, we are committed to leveraging technological innovation to address the key operational challenges in desert environments—particularly high ambient temperatures and heavy dust accumulation.

Take temperature performance, for example. With our latest Tiger Neo 3.0 technology, we have optimized the module temperature coefficient to -0.26% per degree Celsius—a meaningful improvement over the previous -0.29%, translating into tangible power generation gains under Saudi Arabia’s high-temperature conditions, reinforcing the performance advantage of our Topcon modules in such climates.

On the dust front, we have engineered a comprehensive three-dimensional dust-proof solution specifically for extreme desert conditions. This combines a specialized glass coating—featuring anti-static, super hydrophilic, and photocatalytic properties—with an optimized frame design that eliminates dust-trapping edges. Importantly, this solution is fully compatible with all mainstream cleaning robots in the market, ensuring seamless integration into existing operations and maintenance practices.

As you enter the next phase after 20 years of global leadership, what new technologies or local manufacturing initiatives is JinkoSolar planning to introduce in the solar PV market?

JinkoSolar is advancing next-generation technologies such as perovskite-silicon tandem cells accelerated by AI-driven R&D—targeting GW-scale commercialization by 2028—alongside space-based photovoltaics for low-Earth orbit and orbital power stations.

On manufacturing, our Saudi joint venture with PIF and Vision Industries exemplifies “Global Manufacturing 2.0.” This model moves beyond exporting products to exporting technology, smart manufacturing systems, and operational expertise, enabling true local partnerships while maintaining world-class efficiency. It represents a strategic shift from being a product exporter to becoming a globally integrated, “made-in-world” technology leader supporting the energy transition.