Battery and component manufacturer Qcells and tech giant Microsoft have reached a major agreement to advance sustainable energy.Under the deal,Qcells will supply Microsoft with up to 12 gigawatts (GW) of solar modules over eight years,including full services from design to procurement and construction.This agreement expands upon their January 2023 deal for 2.5GW of modules and EPC services.

Microsofts sustainability goals include achieving carbon negativity,water positivity and zero waste by 2030,which Qcells will help realize.Qcells will annually supply approximately 1.5GW of solar modules for Microsofts contracted projects through 2032.These modules will come from Qcells planned fully integrated solar supply chain factory in Cartersville,Georgia - a key part of Qcells $2.5 billion investment announced last year.

Justin Lee,CEO of Qcells,stated: "We are thrilled to be part of this significant commitment,which will accelerate the global transition to renewable energy solutions.We have invested in building a U.S.-manufactured solar supply chain and look forward to collaborating with Microsoft in creating a clean,sustainable future."

This cooperation agreement reflects the vision of the two companies to jointly promote the development of a global clean energy economy.Microsoft has an ambitious goal of sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2025,and Qcells will provide a complete U.S.solar supply chain to support this goal.

Bobby Hollis,Vice President of Energy at Microsoft,stated: "Our goal in expanding the partnership with Qcells is to promote large-scale domestic production of solar modules,which is crucial for the U.S.supply chain and the growth of the clean energy economy.Through such long-term agreements,we clarify Microsoft’s needs and deliver more renewable energy to the grid faster."

In addition,REC Silicon,a company based in Moses Lake,Washington,recently began producing polysilicon,a key raw material for solar components.In April 2022,Hanwha Solutions,the parent company of Qcells,invested more than $200 million in this factory to resume production.The polysilicon produced by REC Silicon will be used in Qcells’ new factory in Cartersville,Georgia,which is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

Overall,this collaboration between Qcells and Microsoft is a significant step in the renewable energy sector,demonstrating the efforts and commitment of industry leaders in driving the global energy transition.