Qcells brings nearly 500 additional jobs to Whitfield County as part of its long-haul commitment to the U.S. solar market
The investment marks Qcells’ latest efforts to rebuild the U.S. solar supply chain and help meet growing demand for decarbonized energy sources
Qcells, the world’s leading clean energy solutions provider, announces today that its new solar panel manufacturing facility will be located in Dalton, Georgia. The $171 million investment 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.
“Our additional investment in Dalton will help Qcells better serve the needs of U.S. customers with increased local manufacturing capacity,” said Qcells CEO Justin Lee. “Georgia has become the clean energy manufacturing heart of America, and we are proud to contribute to the state’s advanced manufacturing economy.”
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. Located near the company’s existing 1.7-gigawatt factory in Dalton, 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.
“We are excited to see Qcells continue to expand in Georgia. 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,” said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.
Qcells’ expansion in Dalton 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. Groundbreaking is planned for fall 2022 and operation is expected to commence within the first half of 2023.