Qcells, one of the world’s leading clean energy companies, announced Thursday that the company is building a new solar panel manufacturing facility located in Dalton, Georgia. The new facility will produce 1.4 gigawatts of solar modules per year made with Qcells’ next-generation photovoltaic cells, a high-efficiency tunnel oxide passivated contact technology, better known as TOPCon, according to the company.
We are thrilled to announce that our latest 1.4-gigawatt solar module expansion will be in the great state of Georgia. We appreciate the support of the numerous elected and economic officials that have been so focused on creating a world-leading advanced manufacturing economy. https://t.co/EIRfMZIw3t
— Qcells North America (@Qcells_NA) May 26, 2022
“We are excited to see Qcells continue to expand in Georgia,” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in a statement. “The state of Georgia and Korea have enjoyed an outstanding partnership for decades, supported by a dedication to relationship building. We have been focused on bringing jobs and opportunities to hardworking Georgians across the state.”
The new manufacturing plant will be located near the company’s existing 1.7-gigawatt factory in Dalton and is expected to bring 470 new jobs to Whitfield County. With more than 750 staff employed at the existing factory, total local employees will exceed 1,000 when the expansion is complete. The expansion will bring Qcells’ total capacity in the U.S. to 3.1 gigawatts, equivalent to one-third of the country’s solar module manufacturing capacity, the company notes.
The investment, valued at $171 million, will “boost production of advanced photovoltaic modules that will help the U.S. achieve its goals of decarbonizing the electric grid and creating good-paying manufacturing jobs,” according to Qcells.
“Our additional investment in Dalton will help Qcells better serve the needs of U.S. customers with increased local manufacturing capacity,” Qcells CEO Justin Lee said in a statement. “Georgia has become the clean energy manufacturing heart of America, and we are proud to contribute to the state’s advanced manufacturing economy.”
Qcells is thrilled to announce that construction will commence this fall on an expansion of our module manufacturing facility in Dalton, Georgia! Read the press release at the link here: https://t.co/57oDhywk4P
#americanmanufacturing. pic.twitter.com/0l2waYp5uF— Qcells North America (@Qcells_NA) May 26, 2022
Groundbreaking for the new manufacturing plant is planned for fall 2022 and operation is expected to commence within the first half of 2023.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network.
Photo “Solar Panel Plant” by Oregon Department of Transportation. CC BY 2.0.
