Enel North America, a renewable energy company, has named Oklahoma as its top choice for the location of its new solar panel and cell factory. With a planned production capacity of 3-gigawatt (GW), the factory will be one of the largest solar cell producers in the US. Enel has also expressed its plans to double the production capacity to 6 GW in the future.
According to Giovanni Bertolino, head of Enel's US solar manufacturing affiliate, 3Sun USA, the company is excited to expand its presence in Oklahoma. The company already has an office in Oklahoma City and a $3 billion portfolio of wind projects in the state.
See also: Biden to Veto Congressional Efforts to Restore Solar Panel Tariffs on Southeast Asian Nations
Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma has expressed his excitement for the state to host one of the largest economic development deals in its history with Enel. To support the incentive package, Stitt is asking state lawmakers for their support. Enel North America is considering the Tulsa Port of Inola as a potential site for the factory.
The facility will produce bifacial heterojunction (HJT) cells, a combination of conventional crystalline solar cells and thin-film solar cells. Production is expected to begin in late 2024, creating over 1,500 jobs in the process.
Enel North America's decision to choose Oklahoma as the preferred location for its solar panel and cell factory is the latest development following the passage of the US Inflation Reduction Act. The Act has served as a catalyst for Enel North America's solar manufacturing ambitions in the US, contributing to a new era of made-in-America energy.
