Chinese renewable-energy technology giant Sungrow has announced that it will build its first production plant in Europe. The factory is planned for Wałbrzych, on the grounds of the Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone. The project is expected to involve around EUR 230 million in investment and a facility of roughly 65,000 square metres, with production scheduled to start within the next 12 months. The company says it will create about 400 jobs, with a strong emphasis on local recruitment.
What matters most is what will come off the lines: photovoltaic inverters and energy storage systems (ESS/BESS). According to the company’s plans, the plant’s annual capacity could reach up to 20 GW of inverters and 12.5 GWh of energy storage, making it one of the largest projects of its kind in the region.
In official statements, the key message is “bringing production closer” to customers and strengthening the resilience of Europe’s supply chains. Shawn Shi stresses that the new factory is a “milestone” and part of a strategy to stabilise the European supply chain; the company also points to logistics advantages, shorter delivery times and more efficient distribution thanks to locating production closer to the market.
For the European Union and for Poland, the announcement fits a wider trend: an increasing share of the clean-energy value chain is being built locally, rather than imported as finished components. Marcin Lerner highlights the strengths of Lower Silesia—its industrial base, technical talent and an ecosystem that supports investment.
In practice, such a project can act as a magnet for suppliers and industrial services, while also intensifying competition for specialists in electronics, automation and advanced manufacturing. Against the backdrop of other “green transition” projects in Poland—such as Stellantis’ investments in photovoltaic installations with a combined capacity of 58 MW for several plants—it is becoming clear that the country is increasingly not only a market for clean technologies, but also a place where real production and energy infrastructure for European industry are being developed.
