Dive Brief:
- Ebon Solar plans to build a $942 million solar cell manufacturing factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Delaware-based company said in an Aug. 7 press release.
- The facility will span 834,000 square feet, according to the release. The investment will create at least 911 jobs including operators, technicians and engineers with salaries ranging between $30,870 and $129,960, according to city documents.
- Ebon Solar is a subsidiary of Singapore-based chipmaker, Ebang International. The company formed Ebon in June 2021, and the investment aims to develop beginning-to-end advanced manufacturing of solar cells in the U.S.
Dive Insight:
Ebang purchased 100 acres through its subsidiary with the goal to explore new opportunities and diversify its product to strengthen shareholder value, according to Ebang’s Aug. 8 financial filing.
Construction of the solar cell plant will take place in two phases and create approximately 2,665 construction jobs, according to city filings. The first phase is estimated to contain 1 gigawatt yearly production capacity. Phase two is anticipated to add 3.5 GW of annual production capacity.
Ebon Solar’s facility will be located in the Mesa del Sol industrial development area, according to the release. Mesa del Sol is a master-planned commercial, industrial and residential community in the Albuquerque metropolitan area, according to the Mesa del Sol website. The community is also five minutes from the Albuquerque International Sunport.
One of the goals for the community is environmental sustainability and renewable energy generation. To achieve this, developers use geodesign, which is a collaboration among designers, planners, geographers and civil engineers to find solutions for issues like climate change.
Another goal is to create more employment opportunities, by building data centers, tech campuses and warehouses in addition to manufacturing facilities, according to the website.
“The choice of Albuquerque for our investment aligns with our commitment to sustainable innovation, and New Mexico offers abundant solar resources, favorable renewable energy policies, and a dedicated, skilled workforce,” Ebon Solar CEO Judy Cai said in a statement.
Ebon Solar is the second solar manufacturer with plans to establish a facility in Mesa del Sol. In August 2023, Singapore-based Maxeon Solar Technologies announced plans to build a $1 billion, three-gigawatt solar panel factory, which will create 1,800 jobs.
If Mesa del Sol sounds familiar, it’s one of the sites where the AMC drama “Breaking Bad” filmed. It’s also the site of one of streamer giant Netflix’s studios, which announced plans to expand its campus in July.
