Ferroglobe PLC, a producer of silicon metal, silicon-based alloys, and manganese-based specialty alloys, announced a memorandum of understanding (MO”) with REC Silicon in which Ferroglobe commits to leverage its asset platform in the U.S. to supply high purity silicon metal to REC Silicon aimed at jointly establishing a low-carbon and fully traceable U.S.-based solar supply chain.

Recent investment by the Hanwha Group into REC Silicon, in conjunction with Hanwha Group’s subsidiary Qcells, has sparked the impetus to expand REC Silicon’s long-standing relationship with Ferroglobe and plan for the immediate development of an end-to-end U.S. solar supply chain from silicon metal, to polysilicon, all the way to fully assembled solar modules. The impact of such a project would span from Washington State to Georgia, West Virginia, and beyond.

According to a Ferroglobe press release, passage of Senator Jon Ossoff’s Solar Energy Manufacturing for America Act as part of a broad clean energy incentive package would make such plans immediately possible.

Ferroglobe stated it will be a critical partner in ensuring steady supply of fully traceable metallurgical grade silicon metal produced in the U.S. from locally sourced raw materials and utilizing its highly skilled domestic workforce. Ferroglobe said it is one of the world’s largest producers of silicon metal and seeks to leverage its technical and operational expertise across sites in West Virginia, Alabama, and Ohio to support this effort.