Taipei, Feb. 7 (CNA) Taiwan-based AU Optronics Corp. (AUO), the world's No. 4 LCD maker, said Tuesday that it will begin to offer U.S.-made solar solutions after winning a government project in the United States.

The 9-megawatt solar power project in a Pennsylvania school district won by AUO will be the largest solar power plant in the state and one of the largest of any school district project nationwide, the company said in a statement.

"The U.S. market is a very important solar market," said James Chen, vice president of AUO solar business group.

"AUO's high-efficiency and high-quality solar modules are not only widely acclaimed for their performance in the residential and commercial markets but have also successfully acquired large utility and government projects," Chen said.

The Pennsylvania project will cover approximately 25.1 hectares, equal to about 87 American football fields, and use 37,500 high-efficiency solar modules made by AUO in the United States from components produced in both Taiwan and the U.S.

The solar power plant, expected to be completed in September this year, will generate an estimated 10.88 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually to directly power five nearby schools that serve about 5,000 students.

The solar power plant will be credited for power not consumed by the schools under a net metering system that will enable it to sell the energy to a local utility company at the same rate it would buy power from the company.

The project further establishes the Taiwanese company as one of the few international suppliers capable of offering U.S.-made solar solutions, AUO said in the statement. (By Jeffrey Wu)