en.Wedoany.com Reported - American solar cell manufacturer Suniva has announced plans to invest $350 million in building a new manufacturing facility in Laurens, South Carolina. The facility is expected to commence operations in the second quarter of 2027, with an annual production capacity of 4.5 gigawatts. Combined with the output from its existing factory in Norcross, Georgia, Suniva's total annual capacity will exceed 5.5 GW, creating 564 full-time jobs.
The new factory will focus on producing advanced solar cells, helping module manufacturers meet the domestic content requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act. Suniva's President and Chief Operating Officer, Matt Card, stated, "The source of energy and who controls the supply chain is a critical issue for the nation." As one of the few commercial cell suppliers, Suniva sells its cells to third-party module assemblers rather than for its own branded modules.
The U.S. solar industry has long faced a bottleneck in cell production, with module assembly capacity exceeding 65 GW, but domestic cell manufacturing accounting for less than 10%. By expanding its cell capacity, Suniva aims to provide small and medium-sized module assemblers with a pathway to access investment tax credits. According to SEIA data, without rapid capacity expansion, many U.S. manufacturers will struggle to meet the tightening supply chain requirements in 2026 and 2027.
Suniva's technology originates from research conducted at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Photovoltaic Excellence Center. The company emphasizes its status as American-owned and operated. Founded in 2007, Suniva filed for bankruptcy in 2017 due to a surge in imports. It restarted operations at the end of 2023 with support from federal policies and began supplying cells to module manufacturer Heliene in early 2025. CEO Tony Etnyre stated that this expansion will help secure America's energy future. South Carolina has attracted investments from several global companies in recent years, establishing itself as a hub for clean energy manufacturing.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
