Maxeon Solar Technologies, based in Singapore, announced on Aug 10 that it plans to build a major solar panel manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, pending approval of a loan application with the US Department of Energy.

The factory would employ approximately 1,800 people and would manufacture photovoltaic solar panels for use in residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar arrays.

According to Maxeon, the plant will be larger than any comparable existing facility in the United States, with the capacity to produce panels capable of generating three gigatonnes of electricity each year. According to a company representative, that is enough to power approximately 460,000 typical US homes with solar panels.

About six gigawatts of solar panels were installed nationwide in the first three months of 2023, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

The proposed solar plant in the southern reaches of Albuquerque would include solar-cell fabrication, panel assembly and warehouse facilities, along with administrative offices.