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+ Georgia gives US solar panel manufacturing a big boost with a new + factory +

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+ Seoul-headquartered PV solar-cell manufacturing giant + Q Cells + today announced that it’s opening a new solar panel manufacturing + facility in Dalton, Georgia. +

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+ Georgia solar panel manufacturing grows again +

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+ It’s a $171 million expansion of Q Cells’ existing solar module + manufacturing plant in Dalton, and that will create 470 additional + jobs. Total local Q Cells employees will exceed 1,000 when the + expansion is complete. +

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+ Groundbreaking is planned for fall 2022 and operation is expected + to commence within the first half of 2023. +

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+ This latest domestic solar manufacturing expansion will boost + production of advanced photovoltaic (PV) modules, and that will + help the US work move toward its goal of decarbonizing the + electric grid. +

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+ The new facility will produce 1.4 gigawatts (GW) of solar modules + per year made with Q Cells’ next-gen PV cells, a high-efficiency + tunnel oxide passivated contact technology better known as TOPCon. +

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+ Combined with the existing 1.7-GW factory, the expansion will + bring Q Cells’ total capacity in the US to 3.1 GW; that’s + equivalent to one-third of the country’s solar module + manufacturing capacity. +

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Qcells CEO Justin Lee said:

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+ Georgia has become the clean energy manufacturing heart of + America, and we are proud to contribute to the state’s advanced + manufacturing economy. +

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+ Q Cells has the largest market share in the US commercial and + residential markets and also supplies the utility-scale solar + sector. +

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+ Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) met with Q Cells’ parent company + Hanwha in Seoul last year and has been actively pitching and + securing additional clean energy investment in Georgia. +

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+ Ossoff also recently helped secure Hyundai’s investment in electric vehicles + that will create over 8,000 jobs in Bryan County. +

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+ Washington, Georgia, embraces solar +

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+ Also in Georgia, + WeSolar CSP, a minority-owned renewable energy tech and design company + headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, will design a solar farm + along with a microgrid that will supply the City of Washington, + Georgia, that will replace natural gas use. Washington is 90 miles + east of Atlanta and has a population of around 4,000. +

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+ The project will comprise both solar panels and a concentrating + solar-thermal power (CSP) technology. +

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WeSolar CSP’s CEO, Steve Anglin, said:

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+ The citizens of the City of Washington will benefit by having a + cleaner environment and experiencing price certainty in the face + of the ever-increasing energy costs of fossil fuels. +

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+ Read more: + Here are 3 vital insights installers shared about the state of + solar in 2021 +

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Photo: Hanwha Q Cells

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+ UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated + solar installers in your region for personalized solar + estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to + shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad. +

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+ FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. + More. +

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About the Author

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+ + Michelle Lewis + +

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+ Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an + editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in + White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for + Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. + Message Michelle on Twitter or at michelle@9to5mac.com. + Check out her personal blog. +

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