Around MYR300m ($70.9m) was invested in the facility, which will create close to 700 local jobs.
Located in the Penang Bayan Lepas Industrial Park, the plant will produce multi-crystalline solar cells.
The high-efficiency solar cells produced at the site will be used in PV power generation, the company said.
JA Solar chairman and CEO Baofang Jin said: "We are pleased to launch our manufacturing plant in Malaysia, as the country offers many attractive benefits including an investment-friendly and supportive business environment.
"Penang’s strategic location in Southeast Asia, its accessibility to airports and seaports, and the availability of reliable infrastructure are advantageous for our additional manufacturing capacity as we continue to explore new export markets."
The plant can be further expanded with additional production capacity to meet growth in demand for solar cells.
Said to be the company’s first manufacturing facility outside of China, the plant is fully compliant with all local regulation, having received the necessary business, manufacturing and environmental licenses and approvals from government authorities including the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Department of Environment.
"We will continue to work with the relevant federal and state government agencies to ensure continued compliance with all rules and regulations," Jin added.
In August this year, JA Solar launched 60-cell double-glass modules, which are encapsulated using 2.5mm thick high strength tempered glass on both sides with a frameless design.
Designed based on IEC standard, the double-glass modules are said to withstand extreme environments of high-temperature, high-humidity, windy, salty, or arid conditions such as coastal fronts, fish farms, and deserts.
Image: The high-efficiency solar cells produced at the site will be used in PV power generation. Photo: courtesy of pakorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
