Solar plant a boost for Northwest Ga.
The first-of-its-kind facility is scheduled for a 2026 opening.
CEDARTOWN — A major investment in Cedartown and Polk County by an advanced technology-based solar recycling company is expected to have a massive impact on the local economy and workforce.
Gov. Brian Kemp announced Thursday, Feb. 15, that SOLARCYCLE will create more than
600 full-time jobs by building a new solar glass manufacturing facility in Cedartown’s North Business Park at an estimated $344 million investment.
The facility will be the first-of-its-kind in the country to use recycled materials from retired solar panels to make new solar glass. Groundbreaking is expected in the next few months with the facility coming online and operational in 2026.
“SOLARCYCLE’s first-of-its-kind facility is a transformational investment for the Polk County community and will help drive its economy for years to come,” Kemp said. “In Georgia, our strong energy mix is one of the key reasons our state has attracted generational investments in recent years. We will keep working to secure our power supply through exciting projects like this one.”
“Economic development takes time, especially development of this magnitude. It takes patience and vision to attract an industry like SOLARCYCLE. I am thankful for the forward-thinking mindset of our commissioners, both previous and current, as well as the Cedartown Development Authority, led by Jamie Morris,” Cedartown City Manager Edward Guzman said.
He also gave thanks to the Development Authority of Polk County, under the leadership of President Chris Thomas, as well as the state of Georgia and Kemp’s administration.
“I am grateful for their guidance and support. This is definitely a day for the history books in Cedartown. We’re looking forward to the jobs and local economic stimulus that will be created in the coming years as SOLARCYCLE settles into their new home in Northwest Georgia,” Guzman said.
“Today is the result of progressive planning and collaborative efforts between the Polk County government, the city of Cedartown, and their board of commissioners to provide a pro-business community,” said Morris, who chairs the Development Authority of Polk County and the Cedartown Development Authority. “SOLARCYCLE will make a positive economic impact in the community that will provide quality jobs and strengthen opportunities in housing and retail development that will help nurture a healthy and thriving community.”
A GENERATIONAL
IMPACT
For local government and economic officials, the announcement was the exciting culmination of planning, perseverance and patience as Cedartown’s North Business Park expansion lands its first big piece.
The 240-acre tract of land was initially purchased by the city in 2016 to expand the business park for future development in order to attract more industries. The city used a $328,306 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to help provide infrastructure to the site in 2021, including the creation of two 100-foot entrance road stub-outs
“The City of Cedartown could not be more thrilled about SOLARCYCLE coming to our town,” Cedartown City Commission Chair Jessica Payton said. “Bringing an innovative industry like this to Cedartown is something we have been working towards for many years.” The undeveloped tract north of the existing park has been the focus of many prospective industries and is Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development certified, placing it in a state portfolio of fast-track construction sites.
Thomas said SOLARCYCLE’s investment and job creation will have “a generational impact” on the community.
“Manufacturing is the largest industry by employment in Polk County. SOLARCYCLE will be creating jobs of the future that will continue to provide wellpaying jobs to the community. Creating jobs supports healthy communities where young people can stay to raise the next generation,” Thomas said.
The massive number of jobs will make SOLARCYCLE the third largest industrial employer in Polk County according to the Development Authority of Polk County and will help fill a need for new jobs.
Gildan laid off 107 employees when it closed its Cedartown yarn facility last February. The 255,000-squarefoot remains on the market in the North Business Park.
“This long-awaited announcement of new industry coming to Cedartown is the culmination of the steady vision and several years of continued work by our current city manager and the city commission along with many other local leaders on a project that has included innumerable moving parts,” Payton said.
WHAT IS SOLARCYCLE?
SOLARCYCLE currently operates facilities in Odessa, Texas, and Mesa, Arizona, and has inked long-term partnerships with more than 40 of the nation’s largest solar energy companies to reuse and recycle their solar panels, including solar manufacturer Qcells which is based in Dalton.
The company’s advanced, proprietary recycling technology allows it to extract 95% of the value from used solar panels.
The Cedartown plant, which will be the first of SOLARCYCLE’s facilities to manufacture glass in addition to recycling solar panels, will position the company as one of the first manufacturers of specialized glass for crystalline-silicon photovoltaics in the United States, with the capacity to make five to six gigawatts worth of solar glass every year.
The glass will be sold directly back to the domestic solar manufacturers and fill a critical gap in the country’s supply chain to build more solar panels in America.
“There is no question that solar panel manufacturing is booming in the state of Georgia,” said Suvi Sharma, CEO and cofounder of SOLARCYCLE. “We are thrilled to join the team and build our recycled solar glass plant in Cedartown, which