A cargo of solar panels produced in southern Ethiopia has reached the United States, after Origin Solar completed its first export from a manufacturing plant in the Hawassa Special Economic Zone, giving the country a foothold in the global clean energy supply chain.

The Hawassa park, long associated with garment exports, has been quietly reshaped into a hub for renewable energy manufacturing. Alongside Origin Solar, two other companies are operating or preparing to operate in the zone. Toyo Solar began shipping its products overseas about six months ago, while Canadian Solar is finishing construction of its factory.

Origin Solar was established by two firms headquartered in Singapore and Seychelles and has built one of the largest solar manufacturing operations in Ethiopia. The plant has an annual capacity of 4.2 gigawatts of solar cells, positioning it to serve export markets at scale.

The company has invested 55 million US dollars and leased more than 30,000 square metres of developed land and factory space inside the Hawassa zone. Around 450 Ethiopian workers are currently employed at the site, with headcount expected to rise as the facility moves toward full capacity.

The first shipment to the United States adds momentum to the Industrial Parks Development Corporation’s push to diversify the industrial base of Ethiopia’s special economic zones, as it seeks to attract investors in sectors beyond textiles and apparel and deepen the country’s presence in higher value manufacturing.