Harris Announces Largest-Ever U.S. Solar Power Deal

DALTON, Ga. — Vice President Kamala Harris visited the congressional district of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on Thursday to announce the largest-ever private investment in solar power-related manufacturing in U.S. history.

The $2.5 billion expansion by Qcells, a South Korean company, in northwest Georgia, is a byproduct of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Passage of the act, and the clean energy incentives within it, fostered a purchase agreement between the manufacturer and Virginia-based commercial solar company Summit Ridge Energy, which wants to deploy about 1.2 GW of community power in three states over the next four years.

That will require the creation of about 2.5 million solar panels — about eight months’ work at Qcells existing Dalton, Georgia, facility. So Qcells is expanding that facility, and building a new one in nearby Cartersville.

Though the majority of solar panels are earmarked for projects in Illinois, Maryland and Maine, the manufacturing expansion will create an additional 2,500 jobs in Georgia alone.

When all is said and done, Summit Ridge Energy’s projects will produce enough electricity to power 140,000 homes and businesses.

Speaking before an exuberant crowd, Harris spoke of Dalton’s long-standing reputation as the “carpet capital” of the world, and how the community was hit hard by the housing market collapse of the late 2000s, a time when fewer new homes were built and the market for new carpet tanked.

“By population, at that time, Dalton lost more jobs than any other American city,” she said.

But Harris went on to say communities across the nation should draw inspiration from what has transpired in Dalton since.

“In the face of incredible challenges, you showed incredible resilience,” she said. “You invested in an industry of the future. You partnered with Qcells, a global clean energy company, to build a solar panel factory right here in Georgia. You worked around the clock to make this facility a success.

“Today … this city is home to one of the largest solar panel factories in all of the United States. And equally significant, the panels being produced here are some of the best in the world,” she added.

Harris went on to say that the tie-up between Qcells and Summit Ridge Energy was made possible “by the investments that we have made to expand American manufacturing and increase demand for clean energy.”

She added: “These projects are known as community solar projects, which will help reach folks who otherwise might not be able to have access to solar power.”

Community solar projects are a method of providing solar to individuals and businesses not able to install solar panels because they are renters or lack the ability to go solar for other reasons. 

Typically, multiple customers can subscribe and receive a credit on their utility bill for their share of power produced, just as if the panels were on their own roof.

“All across our nation, there are communities like Dalton — communities full of people with incredible ambition and aspiration — who just need an opportunity to show what they can do,” Harris said. “President Biden and I are fighting to create that opportunity.”

Summit Ridge Energy’s solar projects came to pass because they qualify for IRA tax credits related to supporting low- to moderate-income households and many will be constructed in low-income and Energy Communities — a core component of the company’s development strategy. 

Summit Ridge intends to undertake more than 350 individual solar projects over the next four years, with the first 200 MW to be installed before the end of 2023. 

“Community solar is key to bringing affordable, reliable clean energy to communities large and small, urban and rural, low-income or working class,” said Justin Lee, Qcells’ CEO, in a written statement.

“The Qcells and SRE partnership will ensure more communities can access the endless benefits solar power offers, including cleaner air, lower energy bills, and more jobs,” Lee said.

Summit Ridge Energy CEO Steve Raeder said the newly announced partnership with Qcells will allow his company to provide clean energy to more American communities and businesses, while simultaneously supporting the domestic manufacturing industry. 

“We must continue to find ways to bring affordable electricity to everyday Americans, particularly communities that have historically relied on fossil fuels,” Raeder said. “The IRA has provided important incentives to drive clean energy adoption and meet climate targets, and now the industry needs partnerships like the one between Qcells and SRE to put policy into practice.” 

The agreement builds on the existing relationship between SRE and Qcells, including a recent partnership to deploy three standalone energy storage projects in New York City that total more than 46 MWh and utilize Qcells’ Geli energy management system.

It also comes shortly after Qcells announced plans to invest another $2.5 billion to build a fully integrated, silicon-based supply chain in the United States, making the company the first to do so. 

Earlier this year, Qcells broke ground on its new, state-of-the-art facility in Bartow County, Georgia, that will manufacture 3.3 GW of solar ingots, wafers cells, and finished panels, respectively. 

When complete, Qcells’ solar panels — from polysilicon to the finished panel — will be fully made in the United States. 

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue