Canadian Solar Inc. has announced that it is establishing a facility in Mesquite, Texas for solar PV module production. This is the first manufacturing unit of the company that’s located in the United States.
This state-of-the-art manufacturing unit will have a total annual output of approximately 5 GW, which is the same as using around 20,000 high-power modules daily. The unit will employ Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) solar cell technology for manufacturing the modules. When it comes to commercial solar PV technology, TOPCon cells exhibit the highest efficiency. They are highly optimized in bifacial modules and can generate energy from both sides of the solar cell. Using TOPCon technology in the U.S. for module production will also help in reducing the consumers’ electricity bills and minimizing carbon emissions.
Over $250 million have been invested in the facility and it will also create around 1500 jobs for skilled workers once it starts operations. Production is slated to start at the end of 2023. In 2021, Recurrent Energy Canadian Solar’s 17-year-old U.S. subsidiary was relocated to Austin, to kickstart the growth of renewable energy production in the Lone Star State as a solar and battery storage project developer.
Canadian Solar also has manufacturing units located in Canada, China, Brazil, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, “Canadian Solar’s new $250 million manufacturing plant in Mesquite will bolster Texas’ status as the energy capital of the world and secure our leadership as a global tech hub,”. “I thank Canadian Solar for choosing Texas for their next U.S. business investment and for creating 1,500 new jobs in the region to help boost the community for generations to come.”
Speaking about the development, US Senator Ted Cruz said, “Texas is an energy production powerhouse, and we embrace an all-of-the-above energy strategy. It’s great to see this incredible investment in Mesquite, which will create 1,500 good-paying jobs in Texas. This kind of investment in the Lone Star State is the reason people are flocking to our great state. I will continue to fight for Texas innovators and job creators in the U.S. Senate.”
Mesquite Mayor Daniel Aleman, Jr. added, “We are very proud to have a company like Canadian Solar in Mesquite and appreciate their investment in our city. We look forward to a great partnership with them and the impact they will make on our community.”
Dr. Shawn Qu, founder, and CEO of Canadian Solar, noted, “Establishing this factory is a key milestone that will enable us to better serve our U.S. customers with the most advanced technology in the industry. We hope that this is the first of many long-term investments we expect to make in the U.S. as we think strategically about a sustainable and resilient clean energy supply chain. We thank the State of Texas, Dallas County, and the City of Mesquite for their critical support and we look forward to working with them as we grow.”
