Canadian Premium Sand Inc.’s (CPS) plan to build a pattern solar glass manufacturing facility in the southern United States has hit a snag: United States solar energy policy and trade uncertainty.
CPS announced the news in a December corporate update, noting that while it focused on advancing its pattern solar glass manufacturing strategy in 2025, geopolitical and trade policy uncertainties have hampered its plans. As a result, CPS paused its solar energy aspirations and is shifting focus to expanding quarry operations and revenue generation in the oil and gas sector.
“While 30% of the planned U.S. facility’s output has been secured in binding offtake agreements, uncertainty surrounding U.S. solar energy policy has made it challenging to achieve CPS’ internal target of 80% contracted offtake agreements to advance the U.S. project,” write company officials. “In addition, continued uncertainty in Canada-U.S. trade relations has inhibited progress on offtake discussions necessary to support advancement of the Canadian facility.”
Officials note that CPS will pause further development of pattern solar glass projects until there is stability in trade policy and the geopolitical landscape. They state that the company will monitor and evaluate the solar energy policy landscape in the U.S. to determine the appropriate time to re-engage with potential customers to advance its pattern solar glass manufacturing plans.
In July, CPS executed a letter of intent proposal for a 12-year lease of a property in the southern U.S., where a glass manufacturing facility operated before closing in 2020. It had selected Toledo Engineering Company Inc. and Bottero S.p.A. to advance pre-construction engineering, working with Green City Glass as the owner’s engineer.