A rendering of a new solar panel manufacturing plant that will be built for Qcells in Cartersville, Ga., by Gray Construction. (Image: Qcells/PRNewswire)
January 24, 2023
LEXINGTON, Ky.—Industrial contractor Gray Construction is partnering with the photovoltaics (PV) manufacturer Qcells on what it described as “a historic solar investment” in the United States and one of “the largest manufacturing projects in Georgia’s history.”
Gray said in a release that Qcells, a subsidiary of Hanwha Solutions, selected it to design and build a new solar panel manufacturing facility in Cartersville, Georgia, and add a building to QCells’ existing campus in Dalton, Georgia.
Qcells originally selected Gray to design and build its Dalton facility, which became Qcells’ first U.S. manufacturing operation when it was completed in 2019. Gray was later selected to add an expansion to the campus. The Dalton operation is “currently the largest solar module plant in the Western Hemisphere,” the company said in the release.
The new investment is expected to solidify the Dalton facility and the greenfield plant in Cartersville with a capacity of 8.4 gigawatts by 2024. Qcells intends to hire 2,500 people as part of this investment, according to the release.
“Having worked with Qcells, Gray is honored to continue our relationship on such a monumental investment,” said Brian Jones, president and CEO of Gray Construction, in a statement. “These projects will tremendously impact the people of Georgia, the American economy, and the solar industry.”
The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) last year was a major component in helping this project move forward, Gray said in the release. Under that Act, solar companies that make solar panel components are eligible to claim tax credits. The project “will help massively reduce the U.S.’s dependency on foreign photovoltaic (PV) manufacturers,” the company said.
As an industrial contractor, Gray describes itself as a “fully integrated global service provider specializing in engineering, design, construction, digital, equipment manufacturing, and real estate services.” The company serves domestic and international customers in markets that include food and beverage, manufacturing, automotive, mission-critical, and commercial.
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