ZAKH Renewable Energy and Engineering Manufacturing has launched a new solar panel and Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah, strengthening the UAE’s growing renewable energy manufacturing ecosystem while positioning the company for expansion into regional and international markets, including Africa.
Located within the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), the facility occupies a 30,000-square-metre site in the Al Ghail Industrial Zone. It has a current annual production capacity of 600 MW of solar panels, alongside capacity to manufacture up to 500,000 square metres of BIPV façade solutions.
The investment comes as demand for renewable energy technologies continues to grow across the Middle East and other emerging markets, driven by the need to expand clean power generation, improve energy resilience and reduce dependence on conventional energy sources.
RAKEZ Group CEO Ramy Jallad said the facility adds specialised renewable energy manufacturing capabilities to Ras Al Khaimah’s industrial base.
“ZAKH’s facility brings specialised renewable energy manufacturing capabilities to Ras Al Khaimah’s growing industrial ecosystem. As demand for clean energy solutions continues to evolve across the region, building local production capacity creates opportunities to strengthen supply chains, advance industrial capabilities and serve growing regional and international markets,” said Jallad.
Building Renewable Energy Manufacturing Capacity
For ZAKH, establishing the facility represents an important step in its strategy to scale photovoltaic manufacturing and develop solutions suited to markets with challenging climatic conditions.
ZAKH Chief Operating Officer Marina Strateva said the Ras Al Khaimah facility will provide a strategic base from which the company can serve customers across the UAE, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and international markets.
The company plans to expand its solar module production capacity to more than 1.8 GW in the coming years.
Its products will primarily target the UAE, GCC and wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) markets, while the company also plans to expand its reach into Africa, Europe and the United States.
The expansion comes at a time when African markets are attracting increasing investment in solar power as governments, businesses and communities seek alternatives to unreliable or expensive conventional electricity and work to expand access to clean energy.
Solar Technology Designed for Harsh Climates
ZAKH’s flagship solar technology brand, FAERS, traces its origins to an R&D initiative established in Azerbaijan in 2017.
The initiative has since developed into industrial-scale photovoltaic technology manufacturing, with solutions designed to operate in high-temperature and desert environments.
This focus could have relevance across markets in Africa and the Middle East, where high temperatures, intense solar exposure and harsh environmental conditions can present challenges for renewable energy infrastructure.
Beyond conventional solar panels, ZAKH is also manufacturing Building Integrated Photovoltaics, or BIPV, which incorporates solar technology directly into building façades and architectural structures.
BIPV can allow buildings to generate renewable electricity while integrating photovoltaic technology into their architectural design, creating opportunities for solar deployment beyond traditional ground-mounted and rooftop installations.
A Gateway to Wider Markets
The new facility also highlights the growing role of economic zones as platforms for renewable energy manufacturing and international trade.
RAKEZ provides manufacturers with industrial infrastructure, facilities and business support aimed at helping companies establish local production capabilities and scale operations.
For ZAKH, Ras Al Khaimah provides a strategic manufacturing base from which to serve the UAE and wider GCC and MENA markets while creating a platform for expansion into other regions.
Africa is among the markets identified for future growth.
The continent’s substantial solar resource, expanding electricity demand and growing focus on renewable energy create significant opportunities for solar manufacturers and technology providers.
As African economies pursue energy transition strategies and seek to close electricity-access gaps, the availability of scalable solar technologies will remain critical to expanding generation capacity.
ZAKH’s planned expansion to more than 1.8 GW of annual solar module production could therefore position the company to participate in a broader international renewable energy market, including emerging opportunities across Africa.
The Ras Al Khaimah facility ultimately represents more than an increase in manufacturing capacity. It reflects the growing shift towards building regional supply chains for renewable energy technologies and developing manufacturing capabilities closer to the markets driving clean-energy demand.
With plans to scale production and extend its footprint beyond the Middle East, ZAKH is positioning its UAE manufacturing base as a platform for the next phase of growth in the global solar energy industry.
