A Georgia-born company that says it can wring more energy out of solar panels than competitors announced Thursday it will spend $75 million to build a manufacturing plant in Norcross.

The Suniva Inc. plant in Technology Park will be the first solar cell manufacturing facility in the state and perhaps a harbinger, said Gov. Sonny Perdue in announcing the decision at the capitol.

"This is a great success story of Georgia's push to be on the cutting edge of innovation," Perdue said.

Suniva, currently located in the state's technology incubator in Atlanta, will build solar cells based on technology developed by Georgia Tech professor Ajeet Rohatgi.

The plant will be the company's first and will initially employ about 100. It will have the capacity to annually produce enough solar cells to power 10,000 homes, Suniva CEO John Baumstark said. The company plans to triple that capacity within a few years, he said.

The company's edge, Baumstark said, is in manufacturing efficiencies that result in cells that wrest more energy from the sun at a lower cost.

For agreeing to locate in Gwinnett, Suniva will get about $10 million in economic incentives from the state and Gwinnett County, including the elimination of $3.6 million in state sales taxes on manufacturing equipment, according to the governor's office.

Gwinnett, the county's school board and the city of Norcross will cede $4.8 million in property tax revenue as part of the deal, according to the governor's office.

Nick Masino, vice president of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce, said the county's governments will give Suniva a phased 10-year break on real property taxes worth $1.3 million.

The remainder of the county's incentive package comes from a phased five-year abatement on personal property taxes on manufacturing equipment.

Masino said the Suniva deal was the most competitive since the chamber launched its Partnership Gwinnett effort to bring 65,000 high-paying jobs to the county. "This is huge. This is why we put Partnership Gwinnett together."

Baumstark said he expects Atlanta to become a hub for the solar energy industry as international solar companies seek to enter the fast-growing U.S. market.

In addition to the traditional draws that bring companies to metro Atlanta, such as the airport, transportation network and large, well-educated work force, Baumstark said the presence of Georgia Tech's well-regarded solar power research center makes Atlanta a natural hub for the industry.

Perdue said Suniva's business plan hits the "sweet spot" in Georgia's effort to build a reputation as a business-friendly and environmentally responsible state. He said the company's plan to help make alternative energy sources more affordable also fits well with the increasing "culture of conservation" taking hold.