Solar Power World
By Kelly Pickerel | October 28, 2026
First Solar will today inaugurate the first phase of its new manufacturing facility in Gaffney, South Carolina. The $330 million facility onshores final production processes for the company’s Series 6 Plus modules.
The Gaffney plant currently employs approximately 500 people, and First Solar expects that number to rise to 700 by mid-2027 when the facility’s second phase is completed.
The Gaffney plant joins First Solar’s three fully vertically integrated manufacturing facilities in Ohio, and one each in Alabama and Louisiana, along with R&D centers in Ohio and California. First Solar will have a 3.7-GW annual manufacturing capacity in South Carolina, bringing the company’s total U.S. manufacturing capacity to 17.7 GW annually.
The First Solar Series 6 Plus module features the company’s thin-film cadmium-telluride base to reach 480 W at 19% efficiency. The panel has aluminum under-mount frames and dual junction boxes. First Solar is working on a bifacial version of the panel, which would allow light absorption on both sides.
Kelly Pickerel was a long-time reporter with Solar Power World before leaving her post as editor in chief in 2026. You may find her on LinkedIn.

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