Credit: solarpowerworldonline.com
Glass and glazing system supplier Nippon Sheet Glass Co. (NSG Group) has unveiled plans to invest in additional transparent conductive oxide (TCO) glass production capacity at its Rossford, Ohio plant. This strategic move is geared towards supporting the rapidly growing solar market. By the first quarter of 2025, the float line at Pilkington North America, a member of NSG Group, will commence shipping TCO glass destined for use in solar panels.
The expansion is particularly significant as Pilkington will play a pivotal role in supplying glass to First Solar's expanding manufacturing campus near Perrysburg, Ohio. Building upon a longstanding manufacturing partnership, NSG Group initiated a dedicated float line for solar glass in Vietnam in January 2020, followed by the opening of a new plant in Luckey, Ohio in November 2020. With the completion of another NSG Group float line in Malaysia, all glass produced across these facilities is exclusively directed towards First Solar. This new production line in Rossford will mark a total of five dedicated lines for First Solar within the NSG Group.
First Solar, a leading thin-film solar panel manufacturer, currently operates three solar panel manufacturing sites in Ohio, boasting an annual capacity of approximately 7 GW. The company is further expanding its footprint with the construction of a 3.5-GW factory in Alabama and another in Louisiana, both set to open in 2025 and 2026, respectively. Notably, First Solar's commitment to an all-American supply chain aligns with requirements for "domestic content" tax credits from the IRS, ensuring the use of American-made components, including glass.
Source: solarpowerworldonline.com