No further details are given of the blockbuster agreement, which was highlighted as sPower said it will add 700MW of operating assets in 2016.

The 1GW deal would be among the largest ever signed by JinkoSolar, which expects to have shipped up to 4.5GW of modules in 2015.

The Chinese OEM – which is also forging ahead with its own downstream development plans – has made a determined push into key foreign markets in recent years, with previous US successes including a strategic supply deal with residential solar pace-setter Vivint.

JinkoSolar