Solar cell and module manufacturer Qcells and global technology company Microsoft Corporation have entered a strategic partnership to supply over 2.5 GW of solar modules and extend engineering, procurement, and construction services to selected solar projects Microsoft has contracted for through power purchase agreements.

The partnership is said to be the first of its kind, where the energy procurer has collaborated directly with a solar supplier to adopt clean energy on a large scale.

CEO of Qcells Justin Lee commented, “We’re striving to build and deliver turnkey clean energy solutions, including those made in America, and this partnership with Microsoft will help accomplish this vision. Similarly, Qcells is proud to play a role with Microsoft to bring more renewable energy online in the years to come.”

Earlier this month, Qcells said it would invest more than $2.5 billion to build a complete solar supply chain in America. The company is set to launch a new production facility in Cartersville, Georgia, with a 3.3 GW annual manufacturing capacity of solar ingots, wafers, cells, and finished panels, respectively.

Microsoft aims to support the domestically manufactured solar products of Qcells to derive more renewable energy to the grid and achieve its target of 100% renewable-based power consumption by 2025 and carbon neutrality by the end of the decade.

“Microsoft’s partnership with Qcells will help make this vision a reality by bringing innovation and investment to rural Georgia. As one of the world’s largest purchasers of renewable energy, this work will help bring more solar energy to the grid faster,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft.

The company recently signed power purchase agreements to procure 900 MW of renewable capacity in Ireland to power its data centers in the country.

Last December, India-based independent power producer ReNew Power signed an agreement with Microsoft India to supply 150 MW of solar power from its recently commissioned project near Bikaner in Rajasthan.

According to the ‘Solar Means Business 2022’ report by the Solar Energy Industries Association, corporates in the United States installed nearly 19 GW of onsite and offsite solar capacity cumulatively till June 2022. Microsoft, together with Apple, had installed 1.5 GW of solar capacity through June 2022, revealing a significant investment by the two firms in solar to power their data centers.