Dalton, 7 April 2023 (TDI): Vice President of the United States (US), Kamala Harris announced on Thursday that South Korea-based solar panel manufacturer QCells had signed an agreement with the largest commercial solar company in the US, Summit Ridge Energy, to buy 2.5 million solar panels.
I’m traveling to Dalton, Georgia to announce the largest investment in community solar in our nation’s history.
This historic investment will create good-paying jobs and help families across the country access the benefits of solar, including lower utility bills and cleaner air.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) April 6, 2023
Most of these solar panels will be produced in Georgia, creating 2,500 jobs. This purchase represents the largest domestic community solar purchase in history and will generate enough electricity to power 140,000 homes and businesses.
During a tour of the QCells factory in Dalton, Georgia, Harris highlighted the importance of investing in climate, clean energy, and US-based manufacturing, stating that these investments would benefit the American people.
The solar panels will be used in over 350 community solar projects in the next four years, with the first 200 megawatts to be installed by the end of this year.
Community solar projects provide access to solar energy to individuals and businesses who are unable to install solar panels on their own, such as renters or those without the ability to install solar panels.
These projects are a method of providing solar energy to those who would not otherwise have access.
Under our Administration, America is producing more solar energy than ever before.
That means cleaner air, lower utility bills, and good-paying clean energy jobs. pic.twitter.com/Uvo0v7jezL
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) April 6, 2023
QCells announced earlier this year that it plans to commit $2.5 billion to expand the Dalton plant and build an additional factory in Cartersville.
Senator Jon Ossoff, who is in South Korea on an economic development mission, sponsored a solar tax credits bill in the Senate that became part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
So, Summit Ridge Energy will use this to take advantage of federal tax credits for domestic energy production and manufacturing.
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Despite the positive announcement, the Republican National Committee (RNC) criticized the Biden administration’s economic stimulus agenda, accusing it of fueling inflation.
However, the QCells solar panel factory and community solar purchase represent a significant investment in clean energy production and job creation in Georgia.
For the information, the QCells factory in Dalton currently produces 12,000 solar panels daily, with plans to triple that capacity. The company has announced the construction of a $2.5 billion facility in Cartersville, creating an additional 2,500 jobs.
This investment is revitalizing a community that was known as the “carpet capital of America” prior to losing jobs during the housing market crash of the early-2000s.
Harris’s trip to Dalton was part of the Biden administration’s Invest in America tour, highlighting job-creating investments in infrastructure projects nationwide.
These investments include plans to replace every lead pipe in the nation and extend high-speed broadband connectivity to rural communities.
Overall, the QCells solar panel purchase and expansion represent a significant investment in clean energy production and job creation in Georgia, demonstrating the importance of investing in climate, clean energy, and US-based manufacturing.
