other solar factory, opened in 2019,<\/a> is located one hour north of the facility site in Dalton, Georgia. The experience gained from operating the Dalton facility, which was recently expanded to produce a total of 5.1 GW of solar panels per year, will benefit this new project.<\/p>\nThe Cartersville plant will be the first vertically integrated factory in the United States to produce ingots, wafers, cells and panels under one roof in over a decade \u2014 strengthening domestic supply chains while helping create new economic opportunities for the local and surrounding communities. Qcells will make larger-format wafer sizes that lower costs and increase product performance.<\/p>\n
The project will also help build the U.S. solar industry while reshoring production capacity for solar components that are largely produced in China and Southeast Asia, boosting domestic supply chain resilience, and helping lower costs for customers and communities across the United States.<\/p>\n
Projects like the one announced today will benefit from the Section 45 Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit, also known as 45X, created by President Biden\u2019s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which incentivizes domestic manufacturing at each step of the solar supply chain. Further, the solar panels produced at the Cartersville plant will help solar developers qualify for the IRA’s domestic content bonus for the clean energy production and investment tax credits. This bonus credit will encourage solar developers to buy U.S.-made manufactured products and components. Since IRA\u2019s passage, over 325 GW of manufacturing capacity has been announced across the solar supply chain, representing more than 31,000 potential jobs and nearly $16 billion in announced investments across 111 new facilities or expansions \u2014 underscoring how the Investing in America agenda is growing America\u2019s clean energy economy and catalyzing historic levels of private sector investments across the nation.<\/p>\n
The solar panels produced by the Cartersville factory will be used for distributed and utility-scale projects. Qcells is also one of the ten largest utility-scale project developers for both solar and storage in the United States with over 2 GW of projects developed or constructed and a project development pipeline of 10+ GW. The company has entered into an 8-year, 12 GW solar and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) agreement with Microsoft to be fulfilled with solar panels made in Cartersville.<\/p>\n
The loan guarantee would be offered through LPO\u2019s Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program, which includes financing opportunities for innovative energy and supply chain projects and projects that reinvest in existing energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n
As part of the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s efforts to build an equitable and inclusive clean energy future, LPO borrowers are expected to develop and ultimately implement a comprehensive Community Benefits Plan (CBP). CBPs ensure borrowers meaningfully engage with community and labor stakeholders to create good-paying jobs and improve the well-being of residents and workers. Qcells Georgia\u2019s CBP outlines strong community and labor engagement; quality jobs; diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA); and commitments in support of President Biden and Vice President Harris\u2019s Justice40 Initiative. Established by Executive Order 14008, the Justice40 Initiative sets a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments in climate, clean energy, and other areas flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. The project is located near disadvantaged communities with low-income populations and housing, transportation, and health burdens, according to the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.<\/p>\n
Qcells’ new manufacturing plant will benefit residents of Cartersville (located about 43 miles from Atlanta) and other nearby communities. Approximately 40 to 50% of the construction work has been awarded to local contractors, including contractors from Atlanta, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. The construction contractor is also partnering with Kennesaw State University in Georgia to hire recent construction management graduates. Qcells Georgia plans to offer job training and apprenticeships to local Cartersville residents who face barriers to employment.<\/p>\n
While this conditional commitment indicates DOE\u2019s intent to finance the project, DOE and the company must satisfy certain technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before the Department enters into definitive financing documents and funds the loan.<\/p>\n
News item from the DOE Loan Programs Office (LPO)<\/em><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/qcells-ingot-factory-500x325.jpg\")