US Solar Company Suniva To Restart Idled Factory Thanks To Biden Climate Law

Washington

Suniva, the U.S. solar manufacturer, is gearing up to restart its Georgia cell factory in the coming year, thanks to incentives provided in President Joe Biden's landmark climate law. The company faced bankruptcy six years ago and had sought trade remedies to compete with low-priced imports, primarily from China. Under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which subsidizes domestic manufacturing of clean energy equipment, Suniva will begin producing solar cells at its Norcross, Georgia facility in the spring of next year.

The initial production capacity will be 1 gigawatt per year, enough to power about 173,000 homes, with plans for expansion. The first phase of the factory's reopening will create up to 240 jobs.

Suniva's president, Matt Card, expressed optimism about the company's resurgence, noting they are in advanced negotiations with several potential customers and expect to have most of their supply contracted before the factory opens next year. The company had received a $110 million financing commitment from New York investment fund Orion Infrastructure Capital earlier this year for its expansion. Solar tariffs, imposed in response to Suniva's petition during the Trump administration, have been a subject of controversy, with solar project developers arguing that they have hindered the industry's growth and failed to adequately support domestic producers.

The IRA provides further support for domestic production, allowing projects using panels with domestically-produced cells to qualify for a 10% tax credit in addition to a 30% tax credit for renewable energy facilities. Italy's Enel and South Korea's Hanwha have also announced plans to set up solar cell manufacturing in the U.S. in recent months, pointing to a positive trend in domestic clean energy equipment production.