Major US Manufacturing Expansion
Suniva plans to construct a new 4.5-gigawatt solar cell factory in Laurens, South Carolina, marking a significant expansion of domestic solar manufacturing capacity. The company expects the facility to open in the second quarter of 2027.
Once operational, Suniva’s total annual US solar cell capacity will exceed 5.5 GW, including production at its existing plant in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The company says this would position it as the largest merchant solar cell manufacturer in the United States.
$350 Million Investment and Job Creation
The planned facility will span approximately 620,000 square feet and is backed by more than $350 million in investment. Suniva estimates the project will create over 550 jobs in advanced manufacturing and clean energy roles.
Suniva produces high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Founded in 2007 as a spinout of US Department of Energy-funded research at Georgia Tech, the company filed for bankruptcy in 2017 before reemerging in 2023.
Focus on Domestic Supply Chains
The expansion comes as US policymakers and industry leaders seek to strengthen domestic energy supply chains, particularly in solar, where cell manufacturing has historically been concentrated overseas.
Chief Executive Officer Tony Etnyre said the project will help secure America’s energy future by expanding domestically produced renewable energy. President and COO Matt Card described the move as part of a broader effort to reinforce energy independence amid growing concerns about supply chain control.
Suniva states that it is the only US-based merchant solar cell manufacturer that is American-owned and American-operated, with domestic leadership, workforce and production.
Addressing a Capacity Bottleneck
Unlike module assembly, solar cell manufacturing represents a more technologically intensive and historically import-reliant segment of the solar supply chain. Industry observers note that cell production has been a key bottleneck in scaling US solar capacity.
With electricity demand rising due to data center expansion and broader electrification trends, additional domestic solar output could play a larger role in meeting future energy needs.
