UK startup Awendio Solaris plans up to C$1 billion solar factory in Canada
Montreal region site would manufacture solar cells and assemble panels for North American utilities, with up to 2,500 MW annual capacity in the first phase and Indigenous groups joining as investor-partners.
A British startup is moving to establish one of North America’s largest fully integrated silicon solar PV manufacturers, proposing a solar technologies factory in the Montreal region that could cost up to C$1 billion and create about 1,000 manufacturing and research jobs. Awendio Solaris said it aims to build a manufacturing facility and a research and development hub on an industrial site in or near Montreal to supply solar cells and assemble solar panels for North American utilities, with an initial capacity of up to 2,500 megawatts per year.
The company’s plan outlines a two-pronged approach: develop the manufacturing line to produce silicon solar cells and assemble panels, and establish an R&D center to advance solar technologies and supply-chain efficiencies across North America. Awendio Solaris said the project would primarily serve the U.S. market while also aiding Canadian utilities, leveraging a fully North American supply chain. The goal, the startup said, is to become a leading hub for solar manufacturing and innovation that can attract ancillary industries and high-value jobs to the region.
In a statement this week, Awendio Solaris said the project would yield close to 1,000 high-quality manufacturing and R&D jobs, and help establish a strong North American supply chain. Construction is planned to begin in the second quarter of next year, with the company seeking power-supply agreements and project financing in parallel with project development. Marc Deschamps, the co-founder and chief executive, said the goal was to position the company as one of North America’s largest silicon solar PV manufacturers and to create a robust platform for future expansion.
The project would bring Indigenous groups into the venture as investor-partners, marking a notable step in Indigenous participation in large-scale energy projects on traditional lands. The Naskapi Nation, the Wendat Nation, and the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) communities have joined Awendio Solaris as investors, according to the company. Awendio Solaris described the partnerships as part of a broader effort to secure economic benefits for Indigenous communities through participation in renewable-energy developments and related industrial projects. The inclusion of Indigenous groups underscores a growing trend of local ownership and revenue-sharing arrangements as Canada expands its clean-energy portfolio.
The company’s investment figures reflect a sizable capital commitment for a startup-backed facility in Canada. Awendio Solaris has flagged plans to invest as much as C$1 billion, with some references noting a figure around $725 million in other currency terms. The precise mix of funding sources, incentives, and public-private support remains under discussion as the project enters its due-diligence and permitting phases. Officials emphasized that financing timelines are contingent on securing power supply contracts, availability of industrial-weighing capacity, and the regulatory approvals required for large-scale manufacturing infrastructure.
The Montreal-region announcement comes amid a broader push to accelerate clean-energy manufacturing in Canada and across North America. Proponents argue that locally produced solar cells and modules can reduce logistics costs, improve reliability of power supply, and help utilities meet aggressive decarbonization targets. The project aims to deliver a fully North American supply chain, expediting deployment of solar capacity to customers in both Canada and the United States, while supporting regional economic development.
The timeline envisions construction beginning in the second quarter of next year, with the practical realization of the facility depending on power procurement agreements, financing, and permitting. Awendio Solaris said it expects to generate substantial manufacturing employment in the first phase, followed by additional roles as the R&D hub scales and the production lines expand. The company’s leadership stressed that the project would be designed to integrate with existing North American grid infrastructure and to contribute to a resilient energy future for the region.
Awendio Solaris founder and chief executive Marc Deschamps has a background in technology and investment banking, and he described the Montreal project as a strategic step toward expanding solar manufacturing capacity in North America. The company emphasized its intent to leverage local suppliers, attract skilled labor, and promote innovation through the R&D component, which would work in tandem with the manufacturing operation to accelerate technology development and cost reductions.
As global demand for renewable energy grows, nations and companies are racing to secure reliable, low-emissions power sources. The project aligns with policy trends favoring domestic manufacturing of critical clean-energy components, reducing exposure to cross-border supply-chain disruptions and shaping employment opportunities in regions hosting new green-industrial facilities. Industry observers note that success will depend on securing stable power supply, favorable financing terms, and the timing of permitting approvals, all of which will influence the project’s ability to meet its first-phase capacity target and job-creation goals.
The Indigenous investment angle also reflects a broader trend of Indigenous communities pursuing economic participation in energy and infrastructure projects that affect traditional lands. In Canada, First Nations have increasingly acquired stakes in projects ranging from wind farms to solar installations, with financial partnerships paired with commitments to community development and environmental stewardship. This development could illustrate a model for combining economic inclusion with scalable clean-energy investment.
Overall, Awendio Solaris’ Canada plan signals a bullish stance on North American solar manufacturing growth in the coming decade. If realized, the Montreal-region facility would contribute to the shift toward localized solar production, help diversify the regional industrial base, and reinforce Canada’s role in the broader clean-energy transition that governments and markets around the world are pursuing.
