April 20, 2024
ATLANTA (AP) — A South Korean solar panel maker will invest more than $2.5 billion to build factories in Georgia, hiring 2,500 new employees and making components usually manufactured outside the United States, the company announced Wednesday.
Qcells, a unit of Hanwha Solutions, will build a new factory in Cartersville that will employ 2,000 people, with construction starting within weeks and production starting before the end of 2024.
The company also announced a third phase of its Dalton plant, already the largest maker of solar panels in the Western Hemisphere. Qcells will add nearly 500 jobs in Dalton, raising employment above 1,500 once all expansions are complete there.
“We are seeking to further expand our low-carbon solar investments as we lead the industry towards fully American-made clean energy solutions,” Qcells CEO Justin Lee said in a statement.
The Cartersville plant will assemble solar panels, silicon ingots and wafers as well as solar cells. The company will use polysilicon made at an REC Silicon plant in Moses Lake, Washington. Hanwha last year bought 21% of REC, whose shares are listed in Norway.
Qcells now makes solar modules capable of generating 1.7 gigawatts of electricity each year at the Dalton plant. Following the expansions, the company will make 8.4 gigawatts worth of modules, or about 10,000 solar panels. That will include a capacity of 5.1 gigawatts in Dalton and 3.3 gigawatts in Cartersville.
"The evolution of the solar energy industry continues to grow along with the worldwide desire for greener energy sources," said Cartersville Mayor Matt Santini. "It is an honor to have a leader in this field like Qcells to be manufacturing solar panels in Cartersville."
The company has 750 people working at its existing Dalton factory and Qcells announced plans last year for a second $171 million phase, hiring 470 more workers.
Georgia economic development officials have particularly promoted electric vehicles and batteries.
“Qcells has long been a pioneer in the solar industry, and it solidified Georgia’s place as a leader in renewable energy and sustainable technology when it cut the ribbon on the largest solar panel manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere in 2019,” state Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said in a statement.
The total incentive package from state and local governments wasn’t immediately clear. But Qcells could qualify for more than $65 million in state income tax credits, at $5,250 per job over five years, as long as workers make at least $31,300 a year. Local officials have said Qcells workers in Dalton have starting wages of $17 an hour.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp praised the development. "With a focus on innovation and technology, Georgia continues to set itself apart as the No. 1 state for business," he said. "Combined with our robust logistics infrastructure, top-ranked workforce training program, and collaborative approach, Georgia provides a business-friendly environment that means jobs for hardworking Georgians in every corner of the state and success for both existing and new companies. We're excited for Qcells' continued success in the Peach State."
