(ATLANTA, Ga.) — Governor Brian Kemp announced today that Qcells, one of the largest and most-recognizable renewable energy operations, will spend over $2.5 billion to expand solar manufacturing in Georgia. It will build a new facility in Cartersville, and add a third facility to its existing campus in Dalton.
Over 2,500 jobs will be created for North Georgia, and the completed facilities will bring Qcells’ total solar panel production capacity to 8.4 gigawatts by 2024.
“I am honored to announce the growth of Qcells in Georgia for a second time in less than a year,” said Governor Kemp. “We’re excited for Qcells’ continued success in the Peach State.”
Net electricity generation from renewable sources has spiked over 93% since 2009, and now represents about 13.6% of the state’s energy supply. 4% of that is solar.
In 2019, the largest solar manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere was opened in Dalton, Georgia. Originally at 1.7 gigawatts of capacity, it’s continued to expand and now supports over 700 jobs in Whitfield County. “We are seeking to further expand our low-carbon solar investments as we lead the industry towards fully American-made clean energy solutions,” said Qcells CEO Justin Lee.