Global solar cell and module manufacturer JA Solar has leased space for its first manufacturing facility in the U.S. in Phoenix, AZ. The $60 million facility will produce high-performance photovoltaic (PV) products, and is expected to be operational by the end of this year, creating more than 600 new jobs.
“We are very excited to be able to set up the first U.S. solar module manufacturing facility in Arizona to provide our customers in the U.S. the flexibility and ease of access to JA Solar’s high-performance PV products,” said Aiqing Yang, President of JA Solar. “JA Solar thanks all the partners in Arizona, especially the ACA, GPEC, and the City of Phoenix for their great support and tremendous assistance during the entire process of site selection and space leasing in preparation to establish the manufacturing facility. Solar is a critical part of renewable energy and we are thrilled to be a part of the effort to meet the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 in the U.S.”
Once it is fully functional, the new facility will utilize highly automated assembly lines to produce high-efficiency solar panels (PV modules) for commercial and residential rooftop applications, as well as for utility-scale solar power plants deployment with annual production capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW).
“Arizona is proud to welcome JA Solar’s first U.S. manufacturing facility to Phoenix,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “There’s no better place in the world for sustainable industries like solar and we are excited to see this facility add to Arizona’s clean energy reputation.”
“JA Solar’s new facility showcases Arizona’s attractiveness as a global manufacturing destination,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We are grateful JA Solar will manufacture its high-efficiency solar panels in Phoenix, enhancing Arizona’s renewable energy industry.”
Once operational, JA Solar’s Phoenix facility will be the largest manufacturing site of solar/PV products in Arizona with a capacity of 2 gigawatts.