With the majority of its projects located in the United States, plans were in motion years ago to expand manufacturing to the U.S., but passage of the IRA in 2022 accelerated those plans.
Opsun Corporation, a Canadian firm that specializes in bifacial solar racking structures, opened its first U.S. production facility in High Point, North Carolina.
The racking manufacturer uses a software-based process to design and manufacture aluminum-based solar racking solutions. It specializes in racking for bifacial panels, with designs for flat and tilted roofs (ballasted or anchored), ground mounts and carports.
Opsun chose High Point, North Carolina due to strong support from state and local partners as well as its access to a skilled workforce, said the company.
The project is supported by a $40,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund. Key partners include the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, the City of High Point, Guilford County, GuilfordWorks, and Guilford Technical Community College. The company reports it is investing $9.3 million in the new facility, creating 20 new jobs in Guilford County and tripling the operational footprint of its existing operations.
According to Opsun, plans were in motion years ago to expand manufacturing operations to the U.S. Because the majority of its projects are located in the United States, the move improves logistics and helps the company better support its customers. Passage of the IRA in 2022 accelerated those plans.
“While recent trade policies may have contributed to the momentum, our decision to expand to the U.S. was in motion well before that — the IRA was the catalyst that confirmed the timing was right,” said François Gilles-Gagnon, president of Opsun.
The IRA has stimulated a resurgence of U.S. solar manufacturing. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, 84 new solar and storage manufacturing facilities have come online because of federal manufacturing incentives and 55 facilities are under active construction. According to a report by the BlueGreen Alliance, a coalition of some of the nation’s largest labor unions and environmental organizations, investment in U.S. manufacturing has totaled $493 billion since 2023, a 71% increase from the two-year period preceding the passage of the law.
“By manufacturing in North Carolina, we’re not only strengthening our presence in the U.S. market, but also helping our clients meet domestic content requirements under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enabling them to benefit from a 10% additional tax credit,” said Gilles-Gagnon.
The company also announced it achieved UL 3741 certification for its products, which includes the rapid shutdown requirement to mitigate potential PV hazard risks. As Opsun describes, “It ensures safety for firefighters in scenarios requiring intervention on flat roofs equipped with solar systems.”
