Canadian photovoltaic (PV) manufacturer Heliene recently announced the commissioning of its third solar module production line in the United States. Located in Rogers, Minnesota, the new line has an annual production capacity of 500MW, slightly lower than the 550MW capacity announced last October.
The launch of the new production line increases Heliene’s annual module production capacity in the U.S. to 1.3GW. The company had previously commissioned two other production lines in Minnesota, with capacities of 300MW and 500MW, respectively.
The 500MW project that has just come online received 2.3 million funding support from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), along with specialized grants from other states -level agencies. Additionally, Heliene secured 54 million in equity financing from Transitional Equities, Inc., providing a solid foundation for the development of the production line.
Heliene anticipates that the project will create over 220 jobs, spanning production operations, engineering, and operational support. The company is currently in the process of recruiting for these positions.
In March of this year, Heliene also announced a collaboration with U.S. solar cell manufacturer Suniva and materials giant Corning Incorporated to jointly launch the only module that uses polysilicon, wafers, and cells manufactured entirely in the United States. This move further strengthens Heliene’s strategy of integrating its supply chain within the U.S. market.
