INDIANAPOLIS — Nearly 250 jobs are being created for a new manufacturing facility in Indianapolis.
Bila Solar (Bila), a solar energy company, launched Tuesday, Aug. 29 and announced plans to open a solar module manufacturing facility on the city's near south side.
“We are thrilled to begin the Bila Solar journey in Indianapolis,” said Mick McDaniel, vice president U.S. general manager of Bila Solar. “We’re bringing to the U.S. market ultralight modules that go where traditional solar panels can’t go. In Indianapolis, we found a central urban location, a diverse workforce and an entrepreneurial spirit – ideal for our out-of-the-box approach to making clean energy attainable for all.”
Bila’s new factory will be capable of producing a yearly capacity of one gigawatt of glassless, frameless solar modules, or around 5,000 high-capacity modules daily.
The company will invest upwards of $35 million in Indianapolis to renovate an existing 150,000-square-foot facility at 1249 S. White River Pkwy. E. Drive. Once fully operational, Bila will employ 240 people.
Production for the facility is set to begin in the summer of 2024. With its factory based in Indianapolis, Bila has also designated the city as the location for its U.S. headquarters, situated within the same building.
“Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is strong, and we’re excited to welcome Bila Solar to our growing network of innovators advancing products that power the world,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “With Bila’s new Indianapolis manufacturing operation, Indiana’s skilled workforce will be making solar energy more accessible and powering our growing clean energy sector to new heights.”
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the solar industry is expected to nearly triple in cumulative deployment by 2028, as the IRA, in addition to state and local incentives, provides key tax incentives and long-term certainty that will spark demand for solar and storage and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
“We’re grateful and proud to join the growing number of clean energy companies ramping up to transform the American economy – creating thousands of new jobs with technologies and solutions that will contribute to a more sustainable future for all,” McDaniel said.
Weighing just 30% of regular glass panels and 95% slimmer, these modules can be employed in various challenging applications. This increases access to solar opportunities previously out of reach for glass modules, accelerating the transition to clean energy.
“Solar energy should be accessible and abundant for everyone,” McDaniel said. “We look forward to driving innovation in Indiana to pursue that mission.”