Schott Solar has officially debuted its new 200,000-square-foot solar factory at the Mesa del Sol development in south-central Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The facility represents an initial investment of over $100 million. It is the world’s first production site for both utility-scale CSP receivers and PV modules. Initially, Schott plans to produce enough receivers to meet the demands of up to 400 MW CSP power plants per year.

Also, it is the first new solar manufacturing facility to open since the Federal government signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. It employs 300 workers and will be up to 350 staff by the end of the year.

Schott Solar CEO Gerald Fine said investing in this industry is not meant for “faint hearted” and one has to “think about the medium- and long-term prospects for the industry”.

Prototypes of its new receivers, which can accommodate alternative heat transfer fluids, were unveiled by Schott during the inauguration.

Read more: Schott Solar