U.S. solar cell manufacturer ES Foundry has completed the 2 GW expansion of their Greenwood, South Carolina facility, bringing the total annual production capacity to 3 GW. The company has also announced the production of the first solar cell using the new production line.
The company opened the Greenwood facility in January, 2025, and reached full 1 GW operational capacity by the end of the year. In December, the company estimated its 2 GW expansion would be ready by July. It has now delivered on that estimate.
“This milestone is about execution,” said ES Foundry CEO Alex Zhu in a statement celebrating the expansion. “The U.S. solar market does not need more announcements — it needs operating capacity, proven production and domestic suppliers that can support customers now. With our 2 GW expansion complete, our total capacity now at 3 GW and the first cell off the new line, ES Foundry is helping close one of the most critical gaps in the U.S. solar supply chain.”
The Greenwood facility produces crystalline silicon bifacial cells using passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) technology. While not the latest or highest-efficiency technology, the company argues that PERC offers proven reliability, and isn’t subject to the kinds of intellectual property disputes currently affecting suppliers of tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) cells.
The expansion comes at a time when domestic solar cell capacity is expanding rapidly. Earlier this year, Wood Mackenzie analysts estimated the U.S. had only 3 GW of operational solar cell manufacturing capacity, but expected that number to grow to 20.5 GW by the end of 2027.
Other crystalline silicon cell manufacturers operating in the United States include Suniva, which currently has a 1 GW factory in South Carolina and has announced plans to expand to 5.5 GW by mid-2027, and Qcells, which now manufactures cells in its Cartersville, Georgia plant.
Domestic solar module manufacturing capacity, on the other hand, now tops 45 GW according to Intertek CEA, with most cells still coming from overseas. The use of imported cells results in a lower percentage of domestic content included in the final cost of a solar module, making it somewhat more difficult for those modules to qualify for bonus tax credits.
In addition, imported cells are likely to soon be subject to high tariffs under a Section 232 trade investigation, which are likely to be implemented later in the year. Analysis by Intertek CEA estimates a base case of 10 cents per watt added to the cost of imported solar cells by the tariffs — an amount which would essentially bring the cost of imported cells level with the cost of domestic ones.
The higher demand for domestic content leaves a significant opportunity for companies like ES Foundry to address the market. The company has already inked several supply agreements with domestic companies, and the new expansion is set to spur further sales.
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