Microchip Technology Boosts Q3 Outlook on Strong Bookings Momentum 
Netflix’s Bid for Warner Bros Discovery Aims to Cut Streaming Costs and Reshape the Industry 
UPS MD-11 Crash Prompts Families to Prepare Wrongful Death Lawsuit 
Magnum Audit Flags Governance Issues at Ben & Jerry’s Foundation Ahead of Spin-Off 
Australia Moves Forward With Teen Social Media Ban as Platforms Begin Lockouts 
Visa to Move European Headquarters to London’s Canary Wharf 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Anthropic Reportedly Taps Wilson Sonsini as It Prepares for a Potential 2026 IPO 
Momenta Quietly Moves Toward Hong Kong IPO Amid Rising China-U.S. Tensions 
EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp 
IKEA Expands U.S. Manufacturing Amid Rising Tariffs and Supply Chain Strategy Shift 
ExxonMobil to Shut Older Singapore Steam Cracker Amid Global Petrochemical Downturn 
Airline Loyalty Programs Face New Uncertainty as Visa–Mastercard Fee Settlement Evolves 
Trump Administration to Secure Equity Stake in Pat Gelsinger’s XLight Startup 
Proxy Advisors Urge Vote Against ANZ’s Executive Pay Report Amid Scandal Fallout 
USPS Expands Electric Vehicle Fleet as Nationwide Transition Accelerates 
Microsoft Corporation and Qcells struck a new deal for the supply of solar panels. The strategic alliance will see the South Korean energy solutions firm providing the American tech firm with 12-gigawatts US-made solar panels until 2032.
As per Reuters, the agreement between Microsoft and Qcells announced on Monday, Jan. 8, is considered one of the largest-ever deals of its kind. The contract means a steady order of panels from the latter, which will continue for eight solid years.
Benefits: What Microsoft and Qcells Will Gain From the Collaboration
Qcells shared that this partnership with Microsoft will help it attain its goal of establishing a solar supply chain in the United States. With this achievement, it will be able to compete with China in the energy solutions market easily.
Plus, the company gained a locked agreement, which means a stable demand for its solar panels. As part of this strategic deal, Qcells will make wafers and cells, silicon ingots, and modules in its new plant in Cartersville, Georgia, which was built using a $2.5 billion investment.
For Microsoft, it will secure a supply of solar panels from a reliable company. The Redmond, Washington-headquartered firm, will be able to fulfill its sustainability objective of becoming a green company by gradually shifting to 100% renewable energy to power its operations starting next year.
Expanded Agreement
The new contract is an extension of the first deal that Microsoft and Qcells signed last year. In the first deal, they agreed to 2.5 gigawatt panels, and now the number has increased to 12 gigawatts, which is said to be enough to power around 1.8 million households.
"We are pleased to be a part of such a substantial commitment that will accelerate the global shift to renewable energy solutions," Qcells' chief executive officer, Justin Lee, said in a press release. "Qcells is uniquely positioned to ally with Microsoft towards creating a clean, sustainable future because of our investment in building an American-made solar supply chain. We look forward to expanding renewable energy frontiers together today and tomorrow."
Microsoft's vice president of energy, Bobby Hollis, also commented, "Our expanded agreement with Qcells is designed to drive large-scale domestic production of solar modules essential to advancing a resilient U.S. supply chain and clean energy economy. Through long-term agreements like this, we are signaling Microsoft's demand and bringing more renewable energy to the grid, faster."
Photo by: Qcells Press Release
