The U.S. Department of Energy‘s (DOE) Loan Programs Office announced Thursday that it plans to move forward with a $1.45 billion loan to support the ongoing expansion of Qcells’ new integrated solar supply chain manufacturing facility in Cartersville, Georgia. This loan is a key element in bolstering domestic solar manufacturing, as part of the Biden administration’s broader renewable energy strategy.
Historic Solar Manufacturing Facility
Located approximately 40 miles north of Atlanta, the Cartersville facility is set to become the largest ingot and wafer plant ever developed in the U.S., according to the DOE Loan Programs Office. This will also mark the first vertically integrated factory in the country to produce ingots, wafers, cells, and panels under one roof in over a decade. The integration of these processes is expected to significantly strengthen domestic supply chains while generating new economic opportunities for both the local and surrounding communities.
DOE $1.45B Loan : Job Creation and Economic Impact
Once fully operational, the Qcells facility in Cartersville is projected to produce 3.3 gigawatts of solar panels annually, enough to supply approximately 500,000 homes. The DOE Loan Programs Office also highlighted that the project is expected to create about 1,200 construction jobs and 1,950 full-time operational jobs at the facility.
DOE $1.45B Loan : Expansion and Future Goals
Qcells, a division of Hanwha Solutions Corp., is not only a leader in solar panel production but also a significant utility-scale project developer for solar and energy storage projects in the U.S. The company has secured an eight-year, 12-gigawatt engineering, procurement, and construction agreement with Microsoft, which will be fulfilled using panels produced in Cartersville, the DOE Loan Programs Office confirmed.
