CARTERSVILLE, GA — With a historic $2.5 billion investment, Qcells is building a solar power manufacturing facility in Georgia. This is the largest solar investment in U.S. history and will offer significant benefits to the state and national economies. Gray, a global builder in the manufacturing industry, and Stantec, a global sustainable design firm, were selected to provide construction, architecture, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering, structural/civil engineering, as well as fire protection, environmental, water, and wastewater services.

Qcells is a subsidiary of Hanwha Solutions, one of the world’s largest photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers, known for its solar cells and modules. The company anticipates increasing its solar module production capacity in the United States from 1.7 gigawatts in 2022 to 8.4 gigawatts by 2024. Qcells intends to hire 2,500 people in Georgia to support its leadership in the solar energy sector.

“Having worked with Qcells, Gray is honored to continue our relationship on such a monumental investment,” said Brian Jones, President and CEO of Gray Construction. “These projects will tremendously impact the people of Georgia, the American economy, and the solar industry.”

The new facility will house the entire solar panel manufacturing process, including ingot production, wafer processing, cell processing, and module production.

“With a shared commitment to quality and innovation, we are proud to be part of establishing a reliable solar supply chain to the United States,” said Leonard Castro, Executive Vice President for Stantec’s global Buildings practice. “Together with our partners at Gray, we are inspired by the opportunity to help Qcells create energy solutions that will support a more sustainable future.”

The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last year was a major driver in helping this project move forward. Under that act, solar companies making solar panel components can claim tax credits. This project will help to significantly reduce the United States dependency on foreign PV manufacturers.Stantec’s integrated architectural and engineering team works within the global industrial sector, helping advanced manufacturing clients improve their operations, reduce costs, and optimize production flows. Disruptions in the global economy over the past three years have increased fragility and expenses related to supply-chain management, making offshoring less enticing.

In response, manufacturers are increasingly seeking to simplify their supply chains, bringing production closer to demand, with many companies opting to add new factories in North America to increase net capacity. Developing PV manufacturing in the United States can mitigate global supply chain challenges and lead to benefits for the climate as well as for U.S. workers, employers, and the economy.