Heliene, Inc., a North American solar module manufacturer, has officially opened a new solar photovoltaic (PV) module facility in Rogers, Minnesota, expanding its U.S. manufacturing output to 1.3 gigawatts (GW) annually.

The Rogers facility, known as Minnesota Line 3, became operational on April 29 and adds 500 megawatts (MW) of manufacturing capacity. It complements the company's two existing lines in Mountain Iron, MN, which contribute an additional 800 MW combined.

The grand opening on May 30 was attended by several public officials, including U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Commissioner Matt Varilek, and Rogers Mayor Shannon Klick. The new facility is expected to create over 220 jobs in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul region.

"By nearly doubling our manufacturing capacity...we can continue to provide best-in-class fully domestic content products," said Martin Pochtaruk, CEO of Heliene.

The expansion was supported by $2.3 million in funding from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), through its Minnesota Investment Fund, Job Creation Fund, and Job Skills Partnership.

The plant will manufacture bifacial, high-efficiency crystalline PV modules using a high percentage of U.S.-sourced components. This aligns with Heliene's strategy of onshoring solar supply chains to boost domestic energy independence and job creation.