Our Domestic Journey
The milestones that shaped Heliene into one of America’s leading solar manufacturers.
Building Momentum
Fueled by the success of Ontario’s Feed-In Tariff program, Heliene quickly established itself as a trusted manufacturer known for quality and reliability. As the Canadian solar market matured, the company recognized the tremendous growth potential south of the border and began building distribution channels and customer relationships across the United States.
By expanding beyond Canada, Heliene transformed from a regional supplier into a North American solar company. These early investments in the U.S. market laid the groundwork for what would become a long-term commitment to American manufacturing and domestic supply chains.
Made in America
Building on the foundation established in Mountain Iron, Heliene officially launched U.S. module manufacturing in 2018 with the installation of a new production line that transformed the former Silicon Energy facility. The investment increased the site’s annual production capacity to 150 MW and boosted daily output to approximately 1,300 modules.
More than a capacity expansion, the project marked Heliene’s long-term commitment to manufacturing close to its customers and supporting the growth of the American solar industry. With operations in both Canada and the United States, Heliene strengthened its position as a North American manufacturer focused on quality, flexibility, and customer service.
The success of Line 1 laid the groundwork for future investments and the continued expansion of domestic solar manufacturing in Minnesota.
Domestic by Design
As the U.S. solar industry raced to rebuild its supply chain, Heliene once again positioned itself at the forefront of domestic manufacturing. Through a groundbreaking partnership with Suniva, Heliene became the first company to bring modules featuring American-made solar cells back to market – marking the return of large-scale U.S. cell production after years of reliance on imports.
The achievement established Heliene as the industry’s leader in domestic content. By combining U.S.-made cells with an expanding network of domestic suppliers, Heliene offered customers the highest domestic content modules available, enabling many projects to qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act’s additional 10% Domestic Content Bonus Credit through module selection alone.
More than a product launch, the partnership represented a major step toward rebuilding the American solar supply chain and reaffirmed Heliene’s commitment to manufacturing close to its customers while creating long-term value for the industry.
Completing the Domestic Supply Chain
As the solar industry enters a new era of domestic manufacturing, Heliene is helping lead the transformation. Building on years of investment in American manufacturing and strategic partnerships, the company is working alongside industry leaders to establish one of the nation’s first fully integrated crystalline silicon solar supply chains.
Through collaborations with Hemlock Semiconductor, Corning, and Suniva, Heliene is helping connect American-made polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, and modules into a resilient domestic ecosystem designed to serve customers for decades to come.
As the only manufacturer offering customers access to the highest levels of domestic content available, Heliene continues to help developers maximize incentives, strengthen supply chain security, and reduce exposure to global market uncertainty.
More than fifteen years after its founding, Heliene remains committed to the principles that shaped the company from the beginning – quality, innovation, and manufacturing close to its customers. By investing in domestic production and building partnerships across the value chain, Heliene is helping secure the future of American solar manufacturing and advancing the nation’s energy independence.
2014
2018
2024
2026
2010
2017
2023
2025
A Vision Takes Shape
After a successful career in steel and manufacturing, Martin Pochtaruk partnered with Helios Energy Europe and North American entrepreneurs to establish Heliene in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Created to serve Ontario’s emerging solar market, the company was founded on a commitment to quality, innovation, and manufacturing close to its customers.
The name Heliene itself reflects those origins, combining “Helios,” the Greek god of the sun and the inspiration behind Helios Energy Europe, with “Energy” to create a name that embodies the company’s mission and focus on solar power. Under Martin’s leadership as CEO from the beginning, those founding principles laid the groundwork for what would become one of North America’s leading solar manufacturers.
Establishing a Foothold in Minnesota
After several years of building customer relationships and distribution channels throughout the United States, Heliene took a bold step toward local manufacturing. Following the closure of Minnesota-based Silicon Energy, a company with which Heliene had partnered since 2015, Heliene moved quickly to preserve the facility and the opportunity it represented.
In May 2017, Heliene took over the once-idle Mountain Iron plant, transforming a shuttered solar manufacturing facility into the foundation of its American operations. Supported by local leaders and inspired by the Iron Range’s rich manufacturing heritage, the company invested in new production lines and renewed a vision for domestic solar manufacturing.
What began as a 25,000-square-foot facility would become the cornerstone of Heliene’s U.S. growth and the first chapter in a long-term commitment to American manufacturing.
Building a Domestic Supply Chain
With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and renewed momentum for American manufacturing, Heliene began charting the next chapter of its growth, one focused on building a resilient domestic supply chain. As customers sought greater certainty and access to the Domestic Content Bonus Credit, the company accelerated efforts to source more materials from U.S. suppliers and expand manufacturing capacity closer to the markets it serves.
The strategy marked a shift from simply assembling modules in America to strengthening the entire solar manufacturing ecosystem. By investing in domestic partnerships and supporting the growth of upstream manufacturing, Heliene helped lay the foundation for a more secure and sustainable North American supply chain.
Celebrating 15 Years and Expanding Capacity
Fifteen years after opening its doors in Sault Ste. Marie, Heliene celebrated a milestone few could have imagined in 2010. With the opening of its third production line in Rogers, Minnesota, the company expanded total manufacturing capacity to approximately 1.3 GW and grew its workforce to nearly 600 employees across North America.
The new line represented more than additional capacity, it reinforced Heliene’s commitment to manufacturing close to its customers and supporting the rapid growth of the American solar industry. Recognized as one of North America’s leading domestic manufacturers, Heliene continued to invest in quality, innovation, and supply chain resilience while helping customers navigate an evolving energy landscape.
2010
A Vision Takes Shape
After a successful career in steel and manufacturing, Martin Pochtaruk partnered with Helios Energy Europe and North American entrepreneurs to establish Heliene in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Created to serve Ontario’s emerging solar market, the company was founded on a commitment to quality, innovation, and manufacturing close to its customers.
The name Heliene itself reflects those origins, combining “Helios,” the Greek god of the sun and the inspiration behind Helios Energy Europe, with “Energy” to create a name that embodies the company’s mission and focus on solar power. Under Martin’s leadership as CEO from the beginning, those founding principles laid the groundwork for what would become one of North America’s leading solar manufacturers.
2013
Building Momentum
Fueled by the success of Ontario’s Feed-In Tariff program, Heliene quickly established itself as a trusted manufacturer known for quality and reliability. As the Canadian solar market matured, the company recognized the tremendous growth potential south of the border and began building distribution channels and customer relationships across the United States.
By expanding beyond Canada, Heliene transformed from a regional supplier into a North American solar company. These early investments in the U.S. market laid the groundwork for what would become a long-term commitment to American manufacturing and domestic supply chains.
2017
Establishing a Foothold in Minnesota
After several years of building customer relationships and distribution channels throughout the United States, Heliene took a bold step toward local manufacturing. Following the closure of Minnesota-based Silicon Energy, a company with which Heliene had partnered since 2015, Heliene moved quickly to preserve the facility and the opportunity it represented.
In May 2017, Heliene took over the once-idle Mountain Iron plant, transforming a shuttered solar manufacturing facility into the foundation of its American operations. Supported by local leaders and inspired by the Iron Range’s rich manufacturing heritage, the company invested in new production lines and renewed a vision for domestic solar manufacturing.
What began as a 25,000-square-foot facility would become the cornerstone of Heliene’s U.S. growth and the first chapter in a long-term commitment to American manufacturing.
2018
Made in America
Building on the foundation established in Mountain Iron, Heliene officially launched U.S. module manufacturing in 2018 with the installation of a new production line that transformed the former Silicon Energy facility. The investment increased the site’s annual production capacity to 150 MW and boosted daily output to approximately 1,300 modules.
More than a capacity expansion, the project marked Heliene’s long-term commitment to manufacturing close to its customers and supporting the growth of the American solar industry. With operations in both Canada and the United States, Heliene strengthened its position as a North American manufacturer focused on quality, flexibility, and customer service.
The success of Line 1 laid the groundwork for future investments and the continued expansion of domestic solar manufacturing in Minnesota.
2024
Building a Domestic Supply Chain
With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and renewed momentum for American manufacturing, Heliene began charting the next chapter of its growth—one focused on building a resilient domestic supply chain. As customers sought greater certainty and access to the Domestic Content Bonus Credit, the company accelerated efforts to source more materials from U.S. suppliers and expand manufacturing capacity closer to the markets it serves.
The strategy marked a shift from simply assembling modules in America to strengthening the entire solar manufacturing ecosystem. By investing in domestic partnerships and supporting the growth of upstream manufacturing, Heliene helped lay the foundation for a more secure and sustainable North American supply chain.
2025
Domestic by Design
As the U.S. solar industry raced to rebuild its supply chain, Heliene once again positioned itself at the forefront of domestic manufacturing. Through a groundbreaking partnership with Suniva, Heliene became the first company to bring modules featuring American-made solar cells back to market—marking the return of large-scale U.S. cell production after years of reliance on imports.
The achievement established Heliene as the industry’s leader in domestic content. By combining U.S.-made cells with an expanding network of domestic suppliers, Heliene offered customers the highest domestic content modules available, enabling many projects to qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act’s additional 10% Domestic Content Bonus Credit through module selection alone.
More than a product launch, the partnership represented a major step toward rebuilding the American solar supply chain and reaffirmed Heliene’s commitment to manufacturing close to its customers while creating long-term value for the industry.
2025
Celebrating 15 Years and Expanding Capacity
Fifteen years after opening its doors in Sault Ste. Marie, Heliene celebrated a milestone few could have imagined in 2010. With the opening of its third production line in Rogers, Minnesota, the company expanded total manufacturing capacity to approximately 1.3 GW and grew its workforce to nearly 600 employees across North America.
The new line represented more than additional capacity—it reinforced Heliene’s commitment to manufacturing close to its customers and supporting the rapid growth of the American solar industry. Recognized as one of North America’s leading domestic manufacturers, Heliene continued to invest in quality, innovation, and supply chain resilience while helping customers navigate an evolving energy landscape.
As the company celebrated 15 years of growth, it also looked ahead to the future—advancing partnerships with Suniva, Corning, and Hemlock Semiconductor to help establish one of the industry’s first fully integrated domestic solar supply chains, from polysilicon to finished module.
2026
Completing the Domestic Supply Chain
As the solar industry enters a new era of domestic manufacturing, Heliene is helping lead the transformation. Building on years of investment in American manufacturing and strategic partnerships, the company is working alongside industry leaders to establish one of the nation’s first fully integrated crystalline silicon solar supply chains.
Through collaborations with Hemlock Semiconductor, Corning, and Suniva, Heliene is helping connect American-made polysilicon, ingots, wafers, cells, and modules into a resilient domestic ecosystem designed to serve customers for decades to come.
As the only manufacturer offering customers access to the highest levels of domestic content available, Heliene continues to help developers maximize incentives, strengthen supply chain security, and reduce exposure to global market uncertainty.
More than fifteen years after its founding, Heliene remains committed to the principles that shaped the company from the beginning—quality, innovation, and manufacturing close to its customers. By investing in domestic production and building partnerships across the value chain, Heliene is helping secure the future of American solar manufacturing and advancing the nation’s energy independence.