Array Technologies, a manufacturer of solar trackers, has commenced construction on a new manufacturing facility in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, along with U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, joined Array officials for this event.

This new facility, representing an investment of over US$50 million, has been made possible through various means, including the Production Tax Credits provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), US$2.5 million in assistance from New Mexico’s Local Economic Development Act (LEDA), and support from the city of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.

Job creation

The production tax credit provided by the Inflation Reduction Act has enabled this investment, paving the way for the creation of new manufacturing opportunities within the community. The newly established 216,000-square-foot campus, situated on the west side of Albuquerque, will hire over 300 residents in the short term to oversee various aspects of solar tracking technology production, assembly, design, engineering, and customer service. Considering both capital investments and job creation, the expansion initiative is projected to yield an economic impact exceeding $300 million over the span of 10 years.

American manufacturing resurgence

Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), emphasized the significance of Array's announcement, highlighting how well-designed federal policies can directly spur job creation and economic development at the state and local levels. She stressed the importance of investments in domestic solar manufacturing, asserting that they play a vital role in bolstering the nation's energy security and prioritizing the well-being of individuals and communities in shaping our energy future.

Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) lauded the efforts of New Mexico Democrats in spearheading an American manufacturing resurgence, citing landmark legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act as pivotal in this endeavor. He hailed Array Technologies' latest manufacturing facility as tangible evidence of this progress, highlighting its role in generating new job opportunities for New Mexicans to establish stable livelihoods, developing innovative technologies to reduce costs for working families, and cementing the state's position as a cornerstone of the nation's clean energy trajectory.

Array expansion in the U.S.

Array, one of New Mexico’s few publicly traded companies, manufactures utility-scale solar tracking technology. The company was founded in Albuquerque 30 years ago and will now expand its operations in the area further. Array also operates an additional manufacturing facility in New Mexico and one in Arizona, along with international locations in Brazil, South Africa, and Spain. In September, the company finalized two supply agreements with aluminum and steel suppliers in the United States to bolster its domestic production capabilities.