Spanish engineering firm Tresca has announced it will lead the construction of a 20GW solar wafer gigafactory planned by Sunwafes in Spain. The core objectives are to accelerate the localization of production capacity, optimize green manufacturing processes, and drive the creation of high-skilled local jobs. By steadily advancing the N-type technology roadmap, the project aims to achieve a leap from pilot-scale to mass production, helping the EU strengthen the resilience of its photovoltaic (PV) supply chain.
Tresca has been officially appointed as the Owner’s Engineer for the project, responsible for core tasks including plant design, grid connection, commissioning and acceptance, as well as safety and performance testing. Concurrently, Tresca will validate and oversee critical aspects such as the rationality of production process flows, the appropriate sizing of utility support systems (ultrapure water, industrial gases, HVAC, and power), construction sequencing, supplier selection, permitting procedures, and environmental compliance. This includes work related to waste handling and resource consumption reduction, ensuring the project progresses in a standardized manner.
The 20GW project aligns with the EU’s strategic direction of reshoring PV manufacturing capacity. It will effectively shorten delivery lead times, enhance supply chain traceability, and facilitate the implementation of the N-type technology roadmap – initially focusing on TOPCon technology, with subsequent plans to incorporate HJT and BC technologies. For Spain, this project will not only create new high-skilled jobs and foster a local supplier ecosystem but also effectively reduce production costs by leveraging renewable energy sources for power supply and waste heat recovery technologies. The project will adopt a “pilot first, gradual expansion” approach. If successfully implemented, it will lay a solid foundation for the stable development of the EU’s PV industrial chain.
Tresca’s core role is to de-risk this project and the broader EU PV localization process, with specific, well-defined actions. Firstly, as Owner’s Engineer, Tresca will transform Sunwafes’ technical plans into bankable design specifications with clear performance guarantees, significantly reducing the perceived risks for lenders and insurers. Secondly, before procurement begins, Tresca will conduct front-end design optimization and constructability reviews to define project scope, budget, and schedule, thereby minimizing subsequent engineering changes and avoiding additional costs and schedule delays.
Furthermore, Tresca will de-risk the transition from a demonstration production line to the 20GW scale-up by defining the wafer production process flow and equipment list through pilot line testing, equipment FAT/SAT (Factory/Site Acceptance Testing), and yield target validation. It will also optimize utility support systems and implement redundancy design to reduce production bottlenecks and single points of failure, ensuring stable and efficient factory operation. Simultaneously, Tresca will deploy digital twin, MES (Manufacturing Execution System), and SPC (Statistical Process Control) systems, coupled with inline metrology and inspection technologies, to enable early defect detection, stabilize product yields, and shorten the technology adaptation cycle.
On the supply chain front, Tresca will conduct pre-qualification reviews for key equipment, spare parts, and consumable suppliers and implement a dual-sourcing strategy to mitigate supply chain disruption risks. Regarding contract design, it will develop EPC/EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction/Construction Management) service packages and establish incentive mechanisms linked to capacity, equipment utilization rates, and specific energy/water consumption. In safety and environmental areas, Tresca will perform HAZOP/SIL (Hazard and Operability Study/Safety Integrity Level) assessments, foster a safety culture, and design processes for treating process exhaust gases and kerf waste, ensuring compliance with stringent EU environmental and safety regulations. It will also coordinate project permitting and environmental impact assessments, expediting approval processes to avoid design rework due to compliance issues.
Regarding cost and compliance, Tresca will design closed-loop water systems and waste heat recovery systems to lower operational costs, enhance ESG performance, and help secure green premium Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). It will also ensure grid capacity allocation and redundancy design, coupling this with PPA agreements and electricity price hedging mechanisms to stabilize electricity costs during the project’s expansion phases. Additionally, Tresca will ensure products and designs comply with relevant EU standards like CE marking, machinery safety, and ecodesign requirements, simplifying compliance review processes. It will also compile product life cycle carbon footprint and Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) documents to meet the requirements of EU-based customers.
In terms of talent development and construction management, Tresca will develop standardized SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and conduct specialized training to cultivate skilled personnel such as operators, maintenance technicians, and process engineers, mitigating the risk of expansion delays due to talent shortages. It will also rationally plan logistics systems, factory layout, and phased construction schemes to allow for early commissioning of initial modules while subsequent workshops are built in parallel, improving overall project efficiency. Furthermore, Tresca will establish a QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) system and collaborate with third-party entities for wafer grade certification, boosting the confidence of downstream cell and module manufacturers. It will also design wafer and kerf waste recycling systems to implement the EU’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, supporting the circular development of the PV industry.
Finally, Tresca will assist the project in applying for EU subsidies and state aid, such as the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), reducing capital expenditure risks. It will also engage with European upstream polysilicon, ingot suppliers, and downstream cell manufacturers to secure supply volumes and align product standards, mitigating risks from market volatility. Additionally, Tresca will develop contingency plans in advance for potential disruptions like equipment delivery delays, power supply limitations, or regulatory changes, safeguarding the planned progress of the EU’s PV reshoring initiative.
