Solar power developer Summit Ridge Energy (SRE) has signed an agreement with Qcells to purchase 1.2 GW of solar modules to support its development pipeline.
SRE says it will use the panels to develop more than 350 solar projects – largely community solar installations – over the next four years, with the first 200 MW to be installed before the end of this year. The agreement between SRE and Qcells also includes 20 MWh of energy storage.
SRE and Qcells also recently partnered to deploy three standalone energy storage projects in New York City that total more than 46 MWh and utilize Qcells’ Geli energy management system.
“This partnership will allow SRE to provide clean energy to more American communities and businesses, while simultaneously supporting our domestic manufacturing industry,” says SRE CEO Steve Raeder. “We must continue to find ways to bring affordable electricity to everyday Americans, particularly communities that have historically relied on fossil fuels.”
For its part, Qcells has plans to invest $2.5 billion to build a fully integrated, silicon-based supply chain in the United States, making the company the first to do so, it says. A majority of the solar panels purchased by SRE will be produced in Qcells’ U.S. manufacturing facilities.