The U.S. Department of Energy announced a conditional loan guarantee of up to $1.45 billion to support South Korea’s Hanwha Qcells in constructing a solar supply chain facility in Cartersville, Georgia. The facility is poised to be the largest ingot and wafer plant in the U.S. and will produce solar ingots, wafers, cells, and panels.
This initiative aims to bolster the U.S. position as a global leader in clean energy by reestablishing critical components of the domestic solar supply chain. The project represents the first fully integrated silicon-based solar manufacturing plant built in the U.S. in over a decade, addressing significant gaps in domestic production.
Upon completion, the Cartersville facility is expected to create 1,950 full-time operational jobs and indirectly support nearly 6,800 additional jobs in Bartow and Whitfield Counties. However, the loan disbursement is contingent upon Hanwha Qcells meeting specific technical, legal, environmental, and financial conditions.
This development aligns with the U.S. government’s commitment to expanding renewable energy infrastructure and reducing dependency on foreign solar components, aiming for a more resilient and self-sufficient energy sector.
