Lexington-based solar technology company 1366 Technologies has received a $150 million loan from the Department of Energy (DOE) to build a manufacturing facility in Massachusetts and a second one in another U.S. location.

The loan will play a critical role in the company’s expansion by creating two facilities and hundreds of jobs, according to a statement. The Massachusetts commercial facility is scheduled to be fully operational by 2013. Construction on a second, larger facility – whose location has not been decided – is scheduled to begin in 2013.

"As governments around the world push the commercial development of renewable energy and carbon-reducing technologies, the DOE loan guarantee program is critical to keeping U.S. manufacturing competitive and thriving," said Frank van Mierlo, founder, 1366 Technologies. "With this loan, 1366 will realize its goal to make solar energy as cheap as coal while helping the U.S. to reclaim a key part of the silicon supply chain and restore the nation’s dominance in photovoltaics."