ATLANTA (AP) — The federal government is making its first loan to a crystalline silicon solar plant, loaning $1.45 billion to support a South Korean company's bid to build up key parts of the solar supply chain inside the United States.
The loan from the U.S. Energy Department, announced Thursday, will be key to funding a $2.2 billion complex that Qcells, a unit of South Korea’s Hanwha Group, is building. The company plans to take polysilicon refined in Washington state and make ingots, wafers and solar cells — the building blocks of finished solar modules — in Cartersville, Georgia, northwest of Atlanta.
President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, besides offering a extra tax credit on American-made solar equipment, lets manufacturers earn incentives for every unit of polysilicon they refine and every wafer, cell and module they make.
“This loan is special, because it’s one of the first facilities where we’re not just making modules, but we’re making cells and wafers as well," Jigar Shah, director of the Energy Department's loan programs, said in a telephone interview Wednesday with The Associated Press. "So we’re bringing a lot more of the supply chain into the United States.”
Qcells in April began assembling modules in part of the complex, which will have a capacity of 3.3 gigawatts of solar panels each year. The plant in Cartersville currently has about 750 employees and is projected to have 2,000 when complete. Qcells says it’s on track to complete the wafer and cell portions of the plant by December.
The company also has a $630 million plant in Dalton, farther northwest in Georgia, with a capacity of 5.1 gigawatts a year. That 1,800-employee plant was built without government loans. The company imports the cells for the Dalton plant.
The Cartersville plant would be the largest ingot and wafer plant built in the United States, the Energy Department said. Between the Dalton and Cartersville plants, Qcells will produce enough solar panels to power nearly 1.3 million homes per year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions from power generation.
Microsoft Corp. has contracted to buy a significant portion of the Cartersville plant’s output over eight years.
Qcells must meet certain conditions for the loan, and Marta Stoepker, a company spokesperson, said Qcells is confident that it will meet the requirements.
“The loan that we’re getting is going to be massively critical for us to stay on track with our goal of really onshoring the supply chain and making it in America,” Stoepker said.
Still, the company said the Biden administration needs to stay committed to supporting domestic solar manufacturing in the face of a continuing surge of cheap imports from Asia, which has caused solar panel prices to fall. Qcells and other manufacturers are pushing for tariffs to protect against what they say is below-cost dumping by companies in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam that have ties to China. Stoepker said the Biden administration also could help by refining guidance on the tax credit bonus for American-made solar components.
Shah defended the administration's efforts, saying supports for the industry are "providing a lot of stability for folks to invest.”
He said the United States is on track to have a reliable domestic supply chain capable of meeting most of its solar panel needs.
“The domestic demand for solar modules in 2026 is expected to be around 50 gigawatts. We’re expecting to produce about 40 gigawatts in 2026," Shah said. "So that means 80% of the modules that we deploy in the United States in 2026 is expected to be domestic.”
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat who has been the foremost cheerleader for the Biden administration's support of clean energy projects in the state, said the loan will “continue growing our economy and strengthening American energy independence.”
FILE - A Caterpillar truck is seen outside a Hanwha QCells Solar plant Oct. 16, 2023, in Cartersville, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
FILE - JLG lifts are operated outside a Hanwha QCells Solar plant Oct. 16, 2023, in Cartersville, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
CHICAGO (AP) — Jameson Taillon allowed two hits over six innings, Dansby Swanson hit his 16th home run and the Chicago Cubs beat the Washington Nationals 3-1 on Friday to stave off elimination from postseason contention.
Pinch-hitter Mike Tauchman had a two-run single in the seventh for the Cubs (79-75), who have eight games left and closed within six games for the last NL wild card.
“We got a big swing from Dansby early in the game and props to Mike Tauchman, as well,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “He's delivering very good at-bats from a pinch-hitting role.”
Washington has lost five straight games.
Taillon (11-8) struck out four, walked two and hit a batter, improving to 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA in his last five starts. He stranded the bases loaded in the third when José Tena lined out, and Taillion retired his last 10 batters.
“It was a really good effort," Counsell said. "It was crafty the way he pitched. ... His cutter to the backside, he had a lot of lefties in the lineup obviously, and his cutter to that side of the plate was really good.”
Tyson Miller retired Dylan Crews on a bases-loaded grounder in the seventh and gave up an eighth-inning homer to James Wood. Porter Hodge pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save, finishing a five-hitter.
Trevor Williams (5-1), returning from a right flexor muscle strain that had sidelined him since May 30, allowed one run and three hits in five innings.
“Everything felt real good, take away one pitch from this outing,” Williams said. “I'm just thankful that I was be out there and give the team a chance to win."
Taillon enjoyed locking up with in a pitcher's duel with Williams, a Pittsburgh teammate for four seasons.
“We've stayed in touch really well over the years,” Taillon said. “Cool seeing him back out there healthy. I know fans probably want offense, but for me, selfishly, that's a lot of fun.”
Swanson homered into the left-center bleachers off Williams in the first inning.
Cubs first baseman Michael Busch dove over the tarp and stretched into the protective netting to catch Teña’s foul pop foul for the second out in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Zach Brzykcy was optioned to Triple-A Rochester and transferred RHP Joan Adon to the 60-day injured list.
Cubs: OF Seiya Suzuki appeared to injure his hand stealing second in the eighth. Counsell didn't have an update, but suggested it wasn't serious. ... LHP Jordan Wicks was placed on the 15-day IL with a right oblique strain retroactive to Wednesday and recalled RHP Trey Wingenter from Triple-A Iowa. Wicks had been activated from a 60-day IL on Sept. 1 following an oblique strain and was 1-2 with a 7.50 ERA in four starts. … RHP Hayden Wesneski was activated from the 15-day IL (right forearm strain) and RHP Shawn Armstrong was designated for assignment.
UP NEXT
Washington LHP MacKenzie Gore (9-12, 4.17) faces Chicago RHP Kyle Hendricks (4-11, 6.25) on Saturday.
AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB
A member off the Chicago Cubs medical staff examines Seiya Suzuki's right hand and wrist after Suzuki was hit by Washington Nationals catcher Drew Millas' throw to second as Suzuki stole the base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs Seiya Suzuki sits on the ground after being hit by Washington Nationals catcher Drew Millas' throw to second as Suzuki stole the base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs Seiya Suzuki lays in the ground after being hit by Washington Nationals catcher Drew Millas' throw to second as Suzuki stole the base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs Seiya Suzuki lays in the ground after being hit by Washington Nationals catcher Drew Millas' throw to second as Suzuki stole the base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs Seiya Suzuki lays in the ground after being hit by Washington Nationals catcher Drew Millas' throw to second as Suzuki stole the base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs Seiya Suzuki lays in the ground after being hit by Washington Nationals catcher Drew Millas' throw to second as Suzuki stole the base during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon winds up during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson celebrates his home run off Washington Nationals starting pitcher Trevor Williams with third base coach Willie Harris, during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson celebrates his home run off Washington Nationals starting pitcher Trevor Williams during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
