Module manufacturer Hanwha SolarOne has confirmed details of the new 230MW facility it plans to build in South Korea.
As previously reported on PV Tech, the company confirmed the plans last month in response to media speculation.
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In a statement published yesterday, Hanwha SolarOne said the new factory would be built in Eumseong, in central South Korea, and begin operation in the second quarter of 2015. It will cost US$30 million overall, with Hanwha SolarOne investing US$12 million in building the plant.
The company said the factory would be used to meet local demand as well as the US market.
“This new facility will also further diversify our manufacturing footprint, allowing us to offer tariff-free modules to the US,” said Seong-woo Nam, CEO, Hanwha SolarOne. “The Hanwha Group has successfully managed trade disputes in dozens of industries over the last 60 years, something no other tier-one solar manufacturer can claim.”
The plant will employ around 200 people including a research and development team.
Once complete and added to other expansions, the company’s total module production capacity will reach 2.23GW. Cell production will be 1.5GW by the end of 2014, according to Hanwha SolarOne.
