Canadian Solar to open 5 GW solar cell factory in Indiana

Canadian Solar announced it plans to invest $800 million to develop a 5 GW solar cell manufacturing site in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Once complete, the factory is expected to produce enough cells to supply the production of about 20,000 solar modules per day.

The company said it expects to begin production at the plant in 2025. Over 1,200 jobs will be created once the facility is operational.

“Indiana’s strong advanced manufacturing sector positions the state to help lead the global energy transition, developing and powering new solutions in batteries, solar and hydrogen,” said Indiana governor Eric Holcomb. “Canadian Solar’s new U.S. location in Jeffersonville will put our skilled Hoosier workforce at the center of cultivating solar power, making energy efficient panels more accessible to consumers across the country.”

The company said the cells produced at the Indiana facility will be used at its new Mesquite, Texas module assembly plant announced in June.

(Read: “Manufacturing a solar powered economy“)

A total of $12.3 million in tax credits and workforce training grants were offered to Canadian solar through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The funds are conditional on the company following through on investment and hiring plans.

Canadian Solar has been publicly traded on the NASDAQ since 2016, and was founded in Guelph, Canada in 2001.

In a pv magazine USA webinar, Clean Energy Associates highlighted how solar cells are a critical leg in the supply chain that needs to expand capacity to make a meaningful impact on energy independence for the U.S.

Along with raw polysilicon, ingots, and wafers, cells are under-represented in the U.S. supply chain when compared with module assembly capacity and overall PV module demand.