Chinese manufacturer of smart solar products Trina Solarhas has announced that it will invest more than $200m (1.46bn yuan) in a 93,000m² photovoltaic manufacturing facility in Wilmer, Texas, US. In a press release, the company said the money will be spent on property and equipment, with the polysilicon used in construction sourced from the US and Europe. The photovoltaic facility will start operations in 2024. “We have long had a vision to manufacture solar products in the US, and we are proud of the jobs we are creating and the investment we are making in the Wilmer community,” said Steven Zhu, president of Trina Solar US. “Trina’s goal in building this facility is to begin to create an ecosystem of American manufacturing that can serve the burgeoning US solar market.” Texas continues to attract new investment across many sectors, having recently become the top US foreign direct investment location for companies seeking to establish themselves across the Atlantic. According to the Office of the Texas governor, the southern US state hosts 34 foreign trade zones with more than 1,700 foreign corporations operating on the ground. The rapid growth of the energy sector in the state has seen more than 200 renewable energy companies setting foot in Houston, Texas’s largest city, as of July 2022. Speaking about Trina’s plans in Wilmer, Shelia Petta, the city’s mayor, commented: “This manufacturing facility will be a shining example of how the Wilmer community will continue to thrive with the long-term commitment that Trina is investing within our community. “It is great to see that companies are reinvigorating manufacturing and creating workforce opportunities, especially within Southern Dallas County, as this region continues to explode with growth.” Zhu added: “As someone who has lived in Texas for more than a decade, I am proud to bring Trina’s first module factory in the Western Hemisphere to the Lone Star State. This factory sets the stage for Trina to continuously expand business in the US and show our customers that we are committed to providing best-in-class products.”