Canadian firm Ubiquity Solar Inc. is set to establish its solar manufacturing activities in New York. The operations will be located at the former IBM site in the village of Endicott in Broome County. The first phase of the project will entail an investment of roughly $61 million, under which the firm is expected to repurpose 800,000 square feet of space at the former campus. The investment will be utilised for site renovations, equipment, and installation.
The first phase of the project will enable Ubiquity Solar to produce 1.5 MW of advanced space-grade PV cells for aerospace applications and 350 MW of utility-grade PV cells for the power generation market in 2022. The initial production of 350 MW is expected to cater to roughly 50,000 homes, given that the estimated average size of a new PV system on a single-family residence is 7kW. The project will create 150 highly skilled jobs in the region. Empire State Development will assist the project with up to $3 million through the Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program, which will be granted based on actual job creation. The redevelopment has already commenced and the project is expected to become fully operational by 2022.
New York State has been actively pushing its green agenda, inviting greater investment in the region. The project is in line with the comprehensive blueprint, Southern Tier Soaring, outlined to boost economic growth and community development in the region.
REGlobal’s Views: New York has adopted a strong action plan for green energy adoption and climate change mitigation. Moreover, it provides various incentives to attract businesses. This makes it an ideal location for the solar PV company’s US expansion strategy.
