The United States is throwing its support behind a Moroccan company developing a major polysilicon plant—an investment Washington views as crucial to reducing global dependence on China for key technology materials.
The project, led by Sondiale SA, aims to produce high-purity polysilicon used in semiconductors and solar panels, two industries central to the global clean-energy and advanced-technology race.
Sondiale plans to build the $870 million facility in southern Morocco’s Tan-Tan region, with operations expected to begin by late 2029.
According to the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the firm has already secured $4.75 million in pre-investment development funding.
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According to Business Insider Africa, a US contractor will oversee the development phase, and the plant is expected to supply polysilicon to the US and other allied markets.
The initiative comes at a time when the US is seeking new supply-chain partners as an alternative to China, which currently controls more than 90% of global polysilicon production.
Rising geopolitical tensions and China’s tightening grip over strategic minerals and materials have further intensified Washington’s diversification push.
Sondiale is targeting buyers across the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia.
To bring the project to completion, the company is raising roughly $800 million in equity and debt from both local and international investors, with the DFC considering up to $550 million in additional financing. Morocco has also declared the project strategic, contributing $100 million in government support.
Once operational, the Tan-Tan plant is projected to produce 30,000 tons of polysilicon annually—equivalent to around 1% of current global output.
Morocco, a nation of 38 million, hopes the deal will strengthen its position as an investment hub while tackling high youth unemployment, an issue that has fueled recent public demonstrations. Sondiale is an affiliate of GreenPower Morocco, based in Tangier, and the project aligns with Morocco’s broader strategy to deepen trade ties with partners such as the US and EU through existing free-trade agreements.
