Clean Break » Blog Archive » Q-Cells and ATS Automation create Ontario JV to develop 64MW of solar
Q-Cells, one of the world’s largest solar PV providers, has inked a deal with ATS Automation Tooling Systems of Cambridge, Ont., to develop 64 megawatts worth of solar projects in Ontario already conditionally approved as part of the feed-in-tariff program. The two companies have formed a 50-50 joint venture called Ontario Solar PV Fields Inc. that is expected to begin construction in 2011. ATS will use Q-Cells’ PV cells in modules it will manufacture at its Photowatt Ontario facility in Cambridge, allowing the JV to qualify under 60 per cent local content requirements. “The Ontario market is projected to be one of the dominant solar markets in North America in 2011,” said Marc van Gerven, Q-Cells North American chief executive.
As I mentioned in a previous post, ATS is one of more than 10 companies that had annunced intentions to make solar modules in Ontario, adding up to more than 1,000 megawatts annually of local manufacturing capacity. ATS was promoting a dual strategy — producing both its own product as an Ontario extension of its France-based Photowatt business, and making modules for other companies under contract. This JV fits with the latter.
