Hanwha Solutions, Qcells’ owner, has announced a US$320 million investment plan for solar manufacturing expansion in the US and South Korea aimed at providing secure, end-to-end energy amid a climate of strained energy security and rising demand for net-zero emissions.
Hanwha Solutions announced that it will spend US$170 million to build a new 1.4GW solar module facility in the US to complement the existing 1.7GW factory in Dalton, Georgia, bringing Qcells’ production capacity in the US to more than 3GW.
The expansion will boost US domestic solar manufacturing as well as growing the clean energy industry in general, bringing more jobs, security and investor confidence to a recently turbocharged sector after the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
The IRA is widely expected to usher in a great number of opportunities for clean energy growth in the US and Qcells has committed to becoming a complete energy solutions provider and rebuilding the US solar value chain with complete American Made Low-Carbon Solar Solutions.
This long-haul commitment ranges from global investments in clean raw materials by parent company Hanwha Solutions to end-customer products that help the average homeowner take complete ownership of their clean energy footprint.
Q.HOME CORE
To this end, Qcells has introduced its new Q.HOME CORE energy storage solution. The Q.HOME CORE is the newest generation storage system from Qcells, integrating a solar inverter (Q.VOLT) with a modular, scalable battery system (Q.SAVE) and backup interface (Q.HOME HUB) and an inclusive 10-year product warranty for performance peace of mind.
“The Q.HOME CORE addition to our growing suite of complete energy solutions provides homeowners with greater control over their energy use through a flexible, scalable battery system and inclusive warranty, all backed by one brand,” said Qcells North America president David Shin.
“We’re excited to offer our installer partners and homeowners the Q.HOME CORE solution, which can provide the peace of mind that comes with whole home backup, especially given record heatwaves and power outages. The new system also features a simplified installation process and is built with safety in mind,” added Shin.
Qcells has held the No. 1 market share position in the US residential solar space for five years running, from 2018 to H1 2022, according to the Q2 2022 US PV Leaderboard report by energy research and consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie (WoodMac). This is highlighted by 28.6% market share of the home module segment between Jan-Jun 2022, especially 30.5% in Q2, the highest quarter ever since Qcells first reached the No.1 position in 2018. By adding a scalable, plug-and-play storage component, Qcells is hoping to further consolidate this position at a time when dependability in energy security is paramount.
With the latest capacity announcements in Dalton, Qcells is doubling down on its commitment to US manufacturing and is eager to deliver more investment across the full solar supply chain. Hanwha Solutions recently made large investments in REC Silicon’s US facilities, in a move that further strengthens Qcells’ ability to provide domestically sourced, sustainable and transparently produced components for the end customer.
WoodMac data also showed that Qcells has market leadership in the commercial sector, claiming more than 20% of module sales in H1 2022 (21.3% in Q2) to retain the No. 1 position that the company has held since 2019.
