Chinese solar cell manufacturer Jiangsu Runergy New Energy Technology Co Ltd has commenced production at its new 2-GW solar module manufacturing facility in Huntsville, Alabama.
The plant, which opened in October, marks a key step in the company's global expansion, particularly into the North American market. Runergy is set to deliver its first customer orders from the facility this month.
Runergy's Managing Director, Jusong Wang, highlighted the company's goal of supporting the US in meeting its renewable energy targets by producing solar modules locally.
The new plant adds to Runergy's existing production infrastructure, which includes facilities in China, Thailand, Vietnam, and now the United States.
As solar demand in the US continues to grow, driven by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the country has seen a surge in domestic solar manufacturing capacity.
According to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, the US has now surpassed 31 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity, reflecting a nearly fourfold increase since the IRA's enactment in 2022.