Norwegian solar wafer manufacturer NorSun has zeroed in on Tulsa, Oklahoma to locate its maiden US silicon ingot and wafer production facility, announced the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. Planned to host 5 GW annual production capacity, it is expected to be one among the first in the US to produce these critically required components for locally produced solar cells.
NorSun plans to initially invest $620 million for the new fab for which it has identified a greenfield shovel-ready site of close of 60 acres. The manufacturer plans to begin construction on site in late 2024 with production scheduled to start in 2026.
It will, however, depend on requisite approvals, necessary permits and final incentive agreements.
"Oklahoma impressed us even before our selection journey – its robust clean energy, manufacturing ecosystem and workforce development programs were already on our radar, and its competitive business offerings and site acceleration options solidified our decision," said NorSun CEO Erik Løkke-Øwre.
To be facilitated by the state commerce department and Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust, the factory will create 320 new direct jobs. It will help meet the domestic requirement of ingot and wafer capacity from US solar cell and panel makers.
Back in Norway, NorSun has a wafer factory in Årdal that's powered by hydroelectric power. In September 2023, it laid off employees and temporarily shuttered the Norwegian plant citing lack of demand with heavy Chinese inventory soon after landing a wafer supply contract from Silfab Solar in the US (see European Solar Wafer Manufacturer In Trouble).