ES Foundry has significantly expanded its domestic solar manufacturing capabilities with the completion of a 2-gigawatt (GW) capacity expansion at its Greenwood, South Carolina facility, increasing the plant’s total annual solar cell production capacity to 3 GW. The company also announced that the first solar cell has successfully rolled off the newly commissioned production line, marking an important milestone in strengthening U.S. solar manufacturing.
The expansion reinforces ES Foundry’s commitment to building a resilient domestic solar supply chain capable of supporting the growing demand for locally manufactured clean energy components. As investments in renewable energy continue to accelerate across the United States, the additional production capacity is expected to improve the availability of American-made solar cells for utility-scale, commercial and distributed generation projects.
The Greenwood facility manufactures crystalline bifacial Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) solar cells, a proven technology that delivers high energy output, improved efficiency and reliable performance across a broad range of solar installations. The expanded production lines will enable ES Foundry to meet increasing customer demand while supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen energy security through domestic manufacturing.
Commenting on the milestone, Alex Zhu, Chief Executive Officer of ES Foundry, said, “The growth of the U.S. solar industry depends on strong domestic manufacturing capacity backed by reliable production capabilities. Expanding our Greenwood facility allows us to supply high-quality solar cells manufactured in the United States while supporting the development of a more secure and resilient clean energy supply chain.”
Beyond increasing manufacturing capacity, the expansion is delivering substantial economic benefits to the local community. Since commencing operations at the Greenwood facility in January 2025, ES Foundry has created more than 400 jobs, contributing to workforce development and strengthening the region’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem.
Lionel Moss, General Manager of Operations at ES Foundry, said, “Our continued growth reflects the dedication of our workforce and the strong support we have received from the Greenwood community. As production expands, we remain focused on developing skilled talent while maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety and operational excellence.”
The investment positions ES Foundry among the largest manufacturers of crystalline solar cells in the United States and supports broader efforts to establish a fully integrated domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem. By expanding production capacity and creating skilled manufacturing jobs, the company aims to play a key role in meeting the country’s growing clean energy requirements while strengthening the resilience of the national solar supply chain.
