Canadian solar manufacturer expands to New York

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Ubiquity Solar, a Canadian photovoltaic technology company, have announced that Ubiquity will be establishing photovoltaic manufacturing operations at a former IBM site in the village of Endicott in Broome County, New York.

With a roughly $61 million investment, Ubiquity will repurpose 800,000 square-feet of space at the former campus. The manufacturing facility will create up to 150 highly skilled jobs once the campus is entirely operational, which is expected by the end of 2022.

In the project’s first phase, it is expected that the increase in capacity gained from the former-IBM site will enable Ubiquity Solar to produce 1.5 MW of advanced space-grade PV cells for aerospace customers and 350 MW of utility-grade PV cells for the power generation market in 2022.

Ubiquity Solar CEO Ian MacLellan said New York State was selected for the first phase of U.S. expansion because it is business-friendly, has a skilled workforce, and is committed to taking strong actions on climate and sustainability.

Empire State Development will assist the project with up to $3 million through the Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program, to be granted based on actual job creation.

“The Southern Tier has become a hub for next generation energy research, innovation and advanced manufacturing, and Ubiquity Solar’s decision to establish its U.S. operations in Endicott is yet another indicator of the region’s bright future,” Governor Hochul said. “It is through forward-thinking projects like this that we are helping to spur economic development across Upstate New York, ensuring a more sustainable future for generations to come.”