A sliver of information about Maxeon Solar, but what’s new with MLG’s other big solar company “Ebon?”

A few weeks ago we offered the following blog post about Maxeon Solar (a massively subsidized proposed solar manufacturing facility for Albuquerque) and the abject lack of activity since the big announcement over two years ago. The original plan was for a $1 billion, 1.9 million-square-foot facility in Albuquerque’s Mesa del Sol. The proposed building would be used for solar panel assembly and fabrication of photovoltaic cells, and could bring 1,800 jobs to the area.

Well, over the weekend the Albuquerque Journal had an update. Honestly, there’s not much to it. The only item of relevance is that the reporter seems inclined to blame the Trump Administration for Maxeon’s struggles, but it is worth noting that the Biden Administration was in office when the company was accused of using forced labor in China.

What about Ebon Solar? In August of 2024 they announced a separate billion dollar facility for building their own solar panels in Albuquerque. After the big announcement more than a year ago we haven’t heard anything about Ebon.  Will either of these companies pan out? Certainly, the Trump Administration’s more realistic approach to so-called “renewables” (and subsidies for them) is having an impact, but a sustainable business shouldn’t rely on subsidies. Only time will tell.