A new solar panel manufacturing plant is set to launch production in Houston this September. Imperial Star Solar, a company from Cambodia, has invested $30 million to renovate a 384,000 square foot building in Tomball for its US operations.
Located at the 240-acre Interchange 249 business park developed by Houston-based Lovett Industrial, the factory is expected to create job opportunities for 348 employees within its first three years of operation. With an annual production capacity of 1.5 gigawatts worth of solar panels initially and potential expansion up to 5 gigawatts by 2025.
The Texas facility will focus on producing PERC panels initially in response to current demand. These modified silicon cells have an additional layer on the back that reflects unused light back into generating more energy. In the future, Imperial Star plans on introducing TOPCon solar panels which are designed with reduced electrical losses and increased efficiency – commonly used in the United States market.
