Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Suntech's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, says: “We believe in the outstanding long-term prospects of the solar energy market in the United States, and we will continue to invest in our ability to meet a substantial portion of that potential growth through in-market manufacturing. A number of favourable developments have led us to this decision, including the dramatic growth in utility demand for large-scale wholesale solar projects, the increasing number of states with incentive programmes for customer-owned systems and the federal government's recent stimulus package, all of which will drive steady, long-term growth in demand.”

Suntech says a decision on the location for the solar plant will be made within the next 6 months.