Recently, French photovoltaic company Carbon announced a major strategic adjustment, formally establishing a deep partnership with LONGi . The two sides will jointly advance the construction of a “Gigafactory” project in France. By introducing China’s mature industrial experience and cutting-edge technologies, the partnership aims to accelerate the localization of Europe’s photovoltaic supply chain.
Previously, Carbon had planned to adopt TOPCon cell technology for production. Following this strategic shift, the company will instead transition to BC (Back Contact) cell technology led by LONGi.
Carbon’s CEO Nicolas Chandellier stated that leveraging LONGi’s industrial expertise and technological capabilities will significantly shorten the time required for the factory to move from construction to commercial operation, while ensuring internationally competitive standards in both quality and cost.
LONGi will support the development of the Carbon One photovoltaic module assembly pilot plant, which is designed to test industrial processes, supply chains, and capacity ramp-up solutions required for the future mass production of the planned Gigafactory.
The project is located in Miramas, in France’s Bouches-du-Rhône department, covering an area of approximately 16,000 square meters. The facility will have an annual module production capacity of 700 MW, representing an increase of 200 MW compared with the original plan.
At the recent Energaïa exhibition, Carbon signed memoranda of understanding with nine European independent power producers (IPPs), including Tenergie and Technique Solaire. Under these agreements, the companies have committed to purchasing 180 MW and 314 MW of modules in 2027 and 2028, respectively, on the condition that European assembly becomes an eligibility criterion for AOS starting in 2026.
Source：EnergyTrend