To meet the rising demand for US-made goods, US renewable energy company SPI Energy Co Ltd has committed to investing $65.9 million in a project to increase its solar wafer and module production in South Carolina.
According to SPI last week, the project entails building a gigawatt-scale facility that will eventually be able to produce 3 GW of silicon wafers and 2.4 GW of photovoltaic (PV) panels. The capacity will support the expansion of the SEM Wafertech and Solar4America Technology subsidiary’s production capabilities. Initial production is anticipated to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, and the facility will be housed in an existing structure in the city of Sumter. By 2024, the wafer production capacity will have been raised gradually to 3 GW.
Denton Peng, Chairman of SEM Wafertech and Solar4America, stated, “We plan to bring the highest-quality domestically produced solar wafers and modules to market, enhancing our nation’s manufacturing capabilities with a long-term investment that will create good paying jobs for South Carolina.”