Maxeon Solar Technologies, a Singapore-based company, has announced its plans to construct a significant solar panel manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, pending approval of a loan application with the U.S. Department of Energy. The proposed factory aims to provide photovoltaic solar panels for residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar arrays.
Generating Three Gigawatts of Electricity
With an estimated workforce of about 1,800 employees, the plant is expected to produce annual panel production generating three gigawatts of electricity. This capacity surpasses that of any existing silicon-solar facility in the United States. In the first three months of 2023 alone, approximately six gigawatts of solar panels were installed nationwide, as reported by the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Comprehensive Solar Plant Facilities
The solar plant's location in the southern area of Albuquerque would encompass solar-cell fabrication, panel assembly, warehouse facilities, as well as administrative offices. The proposed project is an ambitious response to the urgent need to decarbonize the U.S. economy while also creating permanent highly-skilled local manufacturing and engineering jobs.
Strong Investment in Construction
Maxeon Solar Technologies plans to invest a minimum of $1 billion in construction for the solar panel manufacturing plant. This significant financial commitment underscores the company's dedication to advancing clean energy production and contributing to job growth and economic development in the region.
Public Investments in Clean Energy Infrastructure
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham views the proposed plant as a result of public investments in clean energy infrastructure enacted through the 2022 U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and associated state programs. The plant signifies a tangible step towards achieving sustainability goals and fostering a greener economy.
Maxeon Solar Technologies' CEO, Bill Mulligan, expressed enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing its role in addressing the pressing need for decarbonization while simultaneously creating skilled job opportunities in local manufacturing and engineering.
