SEG Solar has invested $60 million in a brand new photo voltaic module manufacturing unit in Houston, Texas.
From pv journal USA
SEG Solar has opened a brand new PV module manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas. The automated manufacturing unit line has an preliminary capability of two GW of n-type panels per 12 months, with plans to increase to five GW by 2030.
“We’re investing $60 million proper right here in Houston,” mentioned Jun Zhuge, SEG Solar’s chief working officer, addressing an viewers of largely prospects, companions and native officers gathered for the opening. “We simply do not discuss.”
The totally automated manufacturing line – SEG Solar claims it’s the longest PV line on the planet – takes the glass and cells and runs by means of the manufacturing levels on conveyor belts to framing and packaging. There are a number of stations for numerous inspection and high quality assurance processes. The hands-off line requires 12 technicians to take care of the equipment, though extra are readily available for coaching functions.
“We do not simply wish to earn money,” Zhuge mentioned. “We wish to construct photo voltaic manufacturing on this nation. We wish to carry your complete provide chain to this nation.”
The firm, based by Zhuge and CEO Jim Wood, was launched in California in 2016. By 2021, the corporate is constructing cell and module factories in Southeast Asia and China. The PV cells that feed the Houston operation come from Indonesia, however the firm says it’s dedicated to creating cells within the United States.
Wood, a veteran of funding banking and photo voltaic set up companies, ultimately labored for a big Chinese photo voltaic producer. He teamed up with Zhuge and different companions with business expertise, they usually determined there was an actual alternative to construct a profitable American module producer beneath the appropriate circumstances.
“We checked out quite a lot of classes that we have discovered from myself and different individuals right here that work with different producers and we mentioned, we will lean closely on automation,” Wood mentioned. pv journal USAincluding that manufacturing machines are the most important of their varieties out there. “Those stringers are 1.3 instances quicker than some other stringer on the planet. So as a result of we’re totally automated, as a result of the capability of these traces is larger, as a result of the machines run quicker, we could be as aggressive right here as we’re in Southeast Asia.
According to Wood, the corporate checked out different areas to determine a producing base within the US, however determined that Houston gives many essential benefits for strategic growth plans. He cited Houston as having top-of-the-line ports within the nation, a big and educated labor power, and a pleasant enterprise local weather. In addition, Texas is already the second largest photo voltaic market within the United States, with 42 GW put in within the second quarter of 2024, in line with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and is poised to turn out to be No. 1 subsequent 12 months.
Wood mentioned SEG Solar’s objective is to not fulfill indoor photo voltaic necessities or keep away from tariffs. It is a 100% US-owned firm, whose principals assume monetary in addition to managerial accountability for its operations.
“SEG is internally funded,” he mentioned. “We do not have non-public fairness. There aren’t any outdoors house owners. We don’t borrow from outdoors. We are a real American firm the place we take our income, recycle them and develop this enterprise organically.
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