(Bloomberg) -- Meyer Burger Technology AG, the solar panel maker that's seeking to reclaim European market share from Chinese rivals, is planning to build its first manufacturing facility in the U.S.
The Swiss company is in negotiations with several U.S. states to determine a final location for its proposed plant, according to an emailed statement Tuesday. The new factory is expected to employ roughly 350 people when it's fully operational and have an initial annual capacity of 400 megawatts.
U.S. President Joe Biden is seeking to revive American solar manufacturing to reduce dependency on Chinese panels and has stepped up scrutiny of shipments from the Asian powerhouse over alleged labor abuses. He aims to increase U.S. solar energy output 10-fold over the next 15 years.
“The world's first photovoltaic production facility was established in California in the 1970s -- well ahead of Europe and Asia,” Meyer Burger Chief Executive Officer Gunter Erfurt said in the statement. “Now it's time to return to the industry's roots and help end dependency on offshore imports.”
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