After REC Silicon Slot Shop and Qcells have lost its domestic polysilicon offer, the country missed a route map for a 100% American silicon solar panel. Today a new path has been announced, with signed deals under Corning, Suniva and Helieen.
An archive photo from 2000 from NREL.
Corning will make silicon waffles in Michigan using polysilicon from nearby Hemlock Semiconductor, of which Corning is the majority. The waffles are sent to Suniva in Georgia, where they will turn into cells. The cells are sent to the Helien assemblage site in Minnesota to become fully formed solar panels.
“We are pleased that this collaboration brings a real-in-American solution to the American market,” said Matt Card, president of Suniva. “Together our companies offer the only solar cell in the market that American developers offer maximum ITC -Binnenlandse Content advantage, while building a domestic supply chain that provides American energy independence and a strong production basis.”
This new helieic module will contain a solar cell with a maximum of 66% domestic content, claims Suniva, which more than meets the domestic content bonus creditworthiness parameters for the investment tax credit (ITC).
“This collaboration is an important milestone for the American solar industry,” says Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of Heliene. “By combining our strengths, we can not only deliver a powerful module, but also support the domestic economy and American job creation.”
No timeline was announced, although Corning’s wafer location is still under construction. Qcells, which will now find his polysilicon from OCI in South Korea, is much further in his Wafer factory construction and is planning to open the Georgia site somewhere this year.
“Corning is enthusiastic to use our advanced production expertise to deliver top quality solar components and to secure the American energy supply chain,” said Ab Ghosh, Corning VP and general manager of Solar Technologies, and chairman and CEO of Hemlock Semiconductor.