(Yicai) Oct. 31 -- The Chinese subsidiary of Canadian photovoltaic module giant Canadian Solar will invest USD839 million to build a solar battery factory in the US, just four months after announcing plans to construct a PV panel plant in the country, to hike its output of the latest type of solar batteries and improve its positioning in the North American industrial chain.

The facility, which will be located in Jacksonville, Indiana, will have a yearly output of five gigawatts of N-Type high-efficiency solar cells, CSI Solar said yesterday. The factory is expected to be up and running in two years’ time. No further details were given.

The US plant will bolster the company’s overseas production capabilities, said Suzhou-based CSI Solar, which already operates factories in Canada, Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam. It will also hopefully enjoy new energy-related subsidies from both the US federal and local governments.

In June, CSI Solar, which counts Goldman Sachs Renewable Power, EDF Renewables Energy, Axium Crimson Holdings as well as its owner Canadian Solar among its foreign clients, said that it will invest USD250 million to construct a five-gigawatt solar panel factory in Mesquite, Texas that will be ready by the end of the year.

It should be noted that Canadian Solar USA, which is owned by CSI Solar, signed a seven-year deal with a big US client in August to supply it with up to 7 GW of PV modules.

CSI Solar’s share price [SHA: 688472] was trading down 2.9 percent at CNY12.99 (USD1.80) as of 2 p.m. today. The firm went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s Nasdaq-style Star Market in June.

Editor: Kim Taylor