Wednesday afternoon in Cherokee County, a mix of local, state and national leaders celebrated the opening of the first phase of the First Solar facility in Gaffney.
It's the largest solar production facility in South Carolina.
"We are proud of what this facility stands for as a symbol of American energy dominance and re-industrialization," First Solar CEO Mark Widmar said.
"We need to make sure that America is powered for its future," U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said.
First Solar is the largest U.S. headquartered solar PV manufacturer, building the components that convert sunlight directly into electricity.
Company leaders said the South Carolina facility is another important step in American energy dominance and independence.
“We are not vulnerable to the decisions that China makes around the on/off switch; we are independent of that throughout the supply chain, the technology, the equipment, the toolsets; we do everything outside of China," Widmar said.
The first phase of the Gaffney plant employs around 500 people, with an average salary about twice the per capita income in Cherokee County.
“When we are investing in jobs, when we are investing in paychecks, we are investing into possibility for our people," Gaffney Mayor Lyman D. Dawkins said.
First Solar leaders said when the facility's second phase is complete in Gaffney next year, it's forecasted to employ nearly 700 people.
"It’s truth that we can still build things here in the United States and we can build them fast; it’s a reminder that we are a nation of builders," Widmar said.
"It sends a powerful message to the entire nation that greatness and excellence already exist here in Cherokee County," Dawkins said.
Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
