A Cambodian contract producer for a lot of Chinese language Tier 1 photo voltaic panel firms is bringing its personal model of panels to america, with plans to start out a 1.5-GW photo voltaic panel meeting manufacturing unit outdoors Houston this September.
Imperial Star Photo voltaic has been working a 2-GW cell, 2.5-GW photo voltaic panel manufacturing campus in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, since 2020. The corporate makes panels for a number of international Tier 1 OEM/ODM producers, and people efforts will proceed in Cambodia. However now, Imperial Star is placing the remainder of its deal with the U.S. market, stated Keer Zhuo, govt VP and head of U.S. operations.
“Most individuals in all probability haven’t heard of us, however all the businesses we’ve labored with and all of the product we’ve been supplying has been reaching numerous huge U.S. shoppers already,” she stated. “We now have a big focus in Southeast Asia, however we at the moment are strategically pivoting towards the U.S. market.”
Imperial Star has leased a 384,500-ft2 manufacturing unit in Tomball, Texas, a half-hour north of downtown Houston. Zhuo stated the ability ought to assist 300 jobs with a Section 1 annual capability of 1.5 GW. Section 2 would enhance capability inside the big manufacturing unit.
Google Maps view of the manufacturing unit
The Texas manufacturing unit will initially make PERC panels, as these are the cells accessible from Imperial Star’s Cambodia manufacturing unit. On the similar time, the manufacturing websites in Cambodia will start shifting to TOPCon designs, and the Texas manufacturing unit will ultimately change too.
Imperial Star is taking steps towards honest commerce practices by establishing manufacturing in america. Whereas AD/CVD tariffs will likely be relevant on the corporate’s Cambodian exports after President Joe Biden’s tariff-pause is lifted, a brand new silicon wafer manufacturing unit in Laos ought to start delivery merchandise in Q3 and can assist in Imperial Star’s dedication to transparency and adherence to laws.
“We imagine in fostering a sustainable enterprise surroundings and admire module patrons’ continued assist as we navigate these adjustments responsibly,” Zhuo stated.
Imperial Star is working by itself inside environmental, social and governance (ESG) pointers to be higher representatives inside the photo voltaic trade.
“We’ve been working actually exhausting on the ESG facet. It’s slightly difficult in Cambodia as a result of there should not very clear pointers or requirements. However we’re placing a strict inside commonplace to fulfill our inside ESG plans,” Zhuo stated. “We’ve been working inside UFLPA and pushing actually exhausting with our vendor suppliers when it comes to polysilicon and wafers. We’ve tried to have the full-traceability paperwork and monitor each step of our uncooked supplies, beating our inside commitments and requirements.”
Zhuo stated the “younger and impressive” U.S. staff is happy to shortly get Imperial Star’s Texas plant working. She stated the group checked out different supportive manufacturing states, like Ohio and Georgia, however in the end selected the Houston area for its U.S. operations.
“The most important purpose we selected Texas, given our aggressive timeline, they do have numerous empty, model new buildings. Second, is the labor. Houston has that benefit of labor in photo voltaic manufacturing. Additionally, it’s extra of a synergy — numerous firms are getting into Houston as photo voltaic manufacturing hubs. That’s going to assist us leverage a number of the low-cost provider distributors,” Zhuo stated.
