Hanwha Advanced Materials Georgia has agreed to supply EVA encapsulation film to Qcells in addition to supporting Qcells’ plans to develop a fully integrated solar energy supply chain in the United States.
Hanwha Qcells America has revealed that its solar supplier Hanwha Advanced Materials Georgia (HAGA) will build a new advanced materials manufacturing facility in Bartow County, Georgia.
HAGA supplies Qcells with an encapsulation film of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), which is the front film of solar modules that secures the cells against the back plate and the front glass. There was a shortage of EVA in 2022, and with the supply of its own EVA film, Qcells can ensure a steady supply of material. Qcells said HAGA will be the only company to manufacture solar EVA in the United States.
HAGA’s $147 million investment is expected to create more than 160 full-time jobs, including engineers and line operators, when the facility begins production in June 2024. The plant is critical to supporting Qcells’ plans to develop a fully integrated solar energy supply chain in the United States.
“The products we manufacture are an important piece of the clean energy supply chain puzzle, and we are excited to address this need,” said Inhwan Kim, CEO of Hanwha Advanced Materials. “Building our state-of-the-art, advanced materials in Georgia will not only create new careers in solar energy, but help bring more affordable and reliable clean energy to customers across the country.
The announcement comes just two months after Qcells announced plans to invest a historic $2.5 billion to expand its operations to establish a fully integrated solar supply chain manufacturing base in Georgia. The South Korean company – a subsidiary of Hanwha Solutions – is the first company to establish a fully integrated, silicon-based solar energy supply chain in the US in the largest investment in US solar history.
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