BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 24. Canadian Solar has officially opened a new solar cell manufacturing facility in the US state of Indiana, marking a significant step in efforts to strengthen America's domestic solar supply chain and reduce reliance on Asian imports.
The nearly $1 billion factory, operated by the company's US manufacturing subsidiary CS PowerTech, is expected to produce up to 6 gigawatts of solar cells annually once it reaches full production early next year.
According to the company, the facility will create more than 1,200 jobs and help address one of the largest gaps in the US solar manufacturing industry by producing solar cells, a critical component that is currently manufactured primarily in Asia.
The United States has been expanding domestic clean energy production through tax incentives and trade measures designed to reduce dependence on imported solar equipment. China currently accounts for approximately 80% of the global solar supply chain, making domestic production a strategic priority for Washington.
Canadian Solar Chief Executive Officer Colin Parkin described the opening as a major milestone for the company.
"For us, this is a tremendous milestone," Parkin said in an interview.
The Jeffersonville facility is the first manufacturing plant in the United States specifically designed to produce heterojunction (HJT) solar cells, an advanced high-efficiency technology that offers improved performance compared with conventional solar cell designs and provides greater potential for future technological improvements.
Headquartered in Ontario, Canada, Canadian Solar is one of the world's largest manufacturers of solar equipment, operating production facilities in China, Southeast Asia and the United States.
