Nexamp, the United States' leading community solar provider, announced a landmark partnership with Heliene Inc., a premier North American solar module manufacturer. This collaboration will result in the largest community solar module order in U.S. history, totaling 1.5GW.
The American-made solar modules will be produced at Heliene's Minnesota facility and will fuel about 400 new community solar projects across the country over the next five years. The monumental order is slated to deliver clean energy savings to more than a quarter of a million U.S. households while also boosting the renewable energy supply on the grid.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined Heliene CEO Martin Pochtaruk and Nexamp CEO Zaid Ashai for a facility tour in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, to unveil this milestone initiative. "Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, companies like Nexamp and Heliene can make investments that boost American manufacturing and create American jobs," said Granholm. She further added that the move underpins President Biden’s vision to make America an irresistible destination for new clean energy investments.
The Inflation Reduction Act has been crucial in expanding Heliene’s facility and boosting the company's investment in clean energy resources. Additional expansions are planned for September 2023 to increase the domestic manufacturing capacity of solar modules. "Minnesota is leading the way in building a clean energy economy," added Senator Tina Smith. The expansion, she said, "will supercharge America's supply chain."
Besides ramping up production capabilities, the collaboration between Nexamp and Heliene is expected to catalyze research and development and create nearly 1,000 green jobs across Minnesota's Iron Range region.
Zaid Ashai, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nexamp, shared the company’s vision: "Nexamp is proud to partner with a North American solar manufacturer to help foster a more resilient supply chain, create green jobs throughout the Midwest, and accelerate the transition to a more just, secure, and resilient energy future."
Martin Pochtaruk, President of Heliene Inc., expressed excitement for the partnership: "This historic order also enables Heliene to maintain its commitment to creating good-paying manufacturing jobs in the U.S. solar industry."
This groundbreaking deal not only signifies a shift in the U.S. solar industry but also demonstrates the transformative potential of community solar in making clean, renewable energy more widely accessible. With a strategic focus on local economic growth, the partnership is a vital step toward a more sustainable and energy-efficient future.
Source: Nexamp