New Mexico just announced a nearly $1 billion solar cell factory

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) and solar cell manufacturer Ebon Solar jointly announced that a nearly $1 billion solar cell factory will be built in New Mexico.

Ebon Solar will invest an estimated $942 million to build an 834,000-square-foot solar cell manufacturing facility in Albuquerque’s Mesa del Sol industrial development area. The project will create over 900 new jobs. The Delaware-based company is aiming to develop beginning-to-end advanced manufacturing of solar cells.

Ebon Solar CEO Judy Cai said:

The choice of Albuquerque for our investment aligns with our commitment to sustainable innovation, and New Mexico offers abundant solar resources, favorable renewable energy policies, and a dedicated, skilled workforce.

These factors enhance Ebon Solar’s capital investment and production capabilities and make the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, and the State of New Mexico ideal partners as we integrate into the clean energy market.

Ebon Solar has not yet given a timeline for its solar cell factory launch in New Mexico.

This latest announcement helps establish New Mexico as a rapidly emerging hub for solar cell manufacturing, following Maxeon Solar Technologies’ announcement in August 2023 that it would build a $1 billion solar cell and panel factory in the state – the largest in the US. Maxeon intends to break ground in the second half of 2024.

New Mexico’s business-friendly environment and strong commitment to renewable energy make it an attractive location for solar investments.

Electrek’s Take

Solar cells are made of a polysilicon-based semiconductor material. They’re then fitted into the solar panel to capture and convert the sun’s energy into electricity.

While a huge number of solar panel factories are opening in the US, there’s still a dearth of domestic supply of earlier stages of the supply chain – including solar cells. So Ebon Solar’s factory announcement is a welcome one and helps further the Biden administration’s aim to establish a domestic solar supply chain.

Read more: Maxeon is going to open a 3 GW solar factory in New Mexico

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