Last week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Canadian solar firm Ubiquity Solar Inc. will establish its first U.S. solar photovoltaic manufacturing center in the former IBM site located in Endicott, NY.
The company is investing nearly $61 million into the project and expects to create up to 150 highly skilled jobs in the region. With the redevelopment of the location already underway, Ubiquity Solar expects that the new Endicott campus will be fully operational by the end of 2022.
For the initial phase of the project, the company plans to repurpose 800,000 square feet of space at the former IBM campus. The initial investment will cover costs related to site renovations, equipment, and installation.
Empire State Development will also assist the project with up to $3 million through the Excelsior Jobs tax-credit program, which will base on “actual job creation,” according to Hochul’s office.
Ubiquity Solar has been involved in the solar industry since 1996, with a focus on the photovoltaic and related materials markets. Since then, it has developed proprietary PV technology that has created a unique close-coupled, vertically integrated, and regionally focused business model. The company works with customers in a variety of industries, including aerospace, power generation, and related materials application industries. One of the key strengths of the firm is its production of ultra-low carbon, Made-in-America, and high-efficiency PV products. This puts them in a strong position as companies across North America make the switch to solar.
“We are excited to establish our U.S. manufacturing operations in the Southern Tier,” Ubiquity Solar CEO Ian MacLellan said. “We are thrilled to play a lead role in redeveloping the former IBM site with a commitment to the highest environmental stewardship standards…We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Empire State Development team for their support.”
