Samsung nails solar plant deal

Samsung Renewable Energy has reached a partnership agreement with Canadian Solar to open a new manufacturing facility in London, Ontario.
The new Canadian Solar plant will produce photovoltaic modules and medium voltage power stations. The factory will supply Samsung’s Ontario solar projects, such as the 100MW Grand scheme in Haldimand County, the 100MW Sol-Luce Kingston project. It will also supply future solar projects within the Green Energy Investment Agreement (GEIA) between Samsung and the Ontario government.
In addition, the new facility will be a hub for Canadian Solar, which has seven manufacturing plants in China, to conduct research and product development associated with solar energy generation.
“We are proud to be partnering with Samsung Renewable Energy to expand the use of solar energy while at the same time creating green manufacturing jobs in Canada,” said Canadian solar chairman and CEO Shawn Qu.
“We are leveraging the scale afforded by our global leadership position, our experience and extensive resources to ultimately benefit Ontario economically through significant job creation and to provide a much needed sustainable, renewable source of energy.”
The Canadian Solar plant ensures Samsung can move forward with engineering, procurement and construction jobs in its project communities around Ontario.
The factory will bring 200 local manufacturing jobs to London by the end of 2013. In total, Samsung predicts its projects will create 9,000 renewable energy jobs across the province.
Samsung and its partners will develop 300MW of clean, renewable solar power in Ontario, part of a recently scaled-back commitment to invest $5bn in the development of 1,369MW of renewable energy, as reported in reNews.
Samsung’s four manufacturing partners, including Siemens in Tillsonburg, CS Wind in Windsor and SMA in Toronto, will employ 900 workers. Samsung will support all of its manufacturing partners’ efforts to develop export markets beyond the GEIA projects.
Construction is expected to start in August at the 100MW Grand project. Two solar PV projects in Kingston and Loyalist Township totaling approximately 100MW each are expected to start construction in 2014 following the renewable energy approval process. In total, the three solar power projects represent 300MW AC, equivalent to approximately 400MW DC.
Image: Solar plant in San Jose (Canadian Solar)