Maxeon settles in New Mexico after multi-agency collaboration

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, along with Maxeon Solar Technologies C.E.O Bill Mulligan and other elected officials today celebrated a billion-dollar investment by the company.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department in partnership with the Department of Environment, the city of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, State Senator Michael Padilla, Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, and Senator Ben Ray Luján secured the solar manufacturing project.

The Maxeon plant in Mesa del Sol will double the size of the largest solar manufacturing facility currently operating in the United States.

The company plans to begin construction in the first quarter of 2024, with factory ramp-up to commence in 2025. The complex will be built on a 160-acre site and will include solar cell fabrication, panel assembly, a warehouse, a research and development lab, and administrative offices.

Once complete, Maxeon estimates the new facility will create up to 1,800 jobs, including highly skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs, and produce millions of solar panels each year for the U.S. market.

The New Mexico facility will expand Maxeon’s global manufacturing footprint, which currently includes plants in Mexico, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

“This is a state that can do anything,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham during her remarks today at Mesa del Sol. “And frankly if it has happened and it’s good, high-tech, and smart it happened here first. We’re the eighth best place for solar and we’re the cheapest place in America for solar. We are the first state to really grasp community solar designs. Maxeon is going to keep moving us, and the United States, forward in solar and renewable energy manufacturing. It takes everyone growing together. I am incredibly proud to welcome Maxeon to New Mexico.”

“We chose New Mexico because of the outstanding characteristics and infrastructure available at this Mesa del Sol site, but also because of the welcoming business climate in New Mexico and outstanding workforce available here,” said Bill Mulligan, CEO of Maxeon. “New Mexico’s commitment to the renewable energy transition was also a key factor.”

“It’s been one year since I voted for the Inflation Reduction Act. Today, projects in New Mexico and nationwide are transitioning to cleaner energy while creating new, good-paying jobs and promoting economic growth,” said Senator Ben Ray Luján. “I’m proud to welcome solar plant manufacturer Maxeon to New Mexico – bringing thousands of highly-skilled, well-paying jobs to Mesa del Sol. Investments like these will ensure New Mexico continues to lead in the production of our nation’s energy and transition to clean energy.”

“I am thrilled to celebrate the largest manufacturing deal in New Mexico in forty years,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury. “This is the first solar panel manufacturer to reshore to the United States since we passed the Inflation Reduction Act. It will be one of the biggest job creators in years, right here in Albuquerque. I cannot wait to see the new opportunities this investment will bring to diversify our state’s economy and build a more resilient workforce in New Mexico.”

“This project is delivering on the promise of good-paying American manufacturing jobs and the promise of clean energy, right here in Albuquerque, New Mexico,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We know our city is a special place, and Albuquerque is well on its way to becoming the solar capital of North America.”

“This is a huge win for New Mexico, and we’re excited to welcome Maxeon Solar Technologies to the state,” said Melinda Allen, president and CEO of the Partnership. “This project will create a significant number of high-quality jobs for New Mexicans and further establish New Mexico as the place to be for advanced manufacturers.”

“Investing and reinvesting in Mesa del Sol has been a city, county and state priority for decades,” said Bernalillo County Commissioner Steven Michael Quezada. “We have continued to invest in infrastructure and quality of life initiatives throughout Bernalillo County in order to attract private investment partners and job creators like Maxeon.”