First Solar has announced plans to set up a new production facility in Gaffney, South Carolina, US, with an investment of around $330m.
Scheduled to commence commercial operations in the second half (H2) of 2026, the new facility will onshore the final production processes for the company’s Series 6 Plus modules initially produced by its international operations.
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The plant is projected to generate over 600 new jobs, with an average manufacturing salary of $74,000 per year, which is approximately twice the per capita income in Cherokee County.
The decision to establish the South Carolina facility was influenced by rising demand for domestically produced energy technology, catalysed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in July 2025.
The new facility is expected to add 3.7GW of American-made solar technology, increasing its annual nameplate capacity to 17.7GW by 2027.
South Carolina governor Henry McMaster said: “South Carolina is proud to be a destination for innovative energy companies that are powering our country with American technology.
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By GlobalData“First Solar’s investment will create 600 new jobs in Cherokee County, which will greatly strengthen the local economy and help advance America’s energy independence. Their expanded presence in our state will provide even more opportunities for hardworking South Carolinians.”
The onshore processes at the new facility will convert thin-film solar cells produced by First Solar’s global fleet into fully completed modules.
The company’s presence in the state already includes a distribution centre in Duncan, Spartanburg County, and a partnership with Inland Port Greer.
The Gaffney plant will become a part of the largest solar technology manufacturing and research and development (R&D) ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere, said the company.
This footprint includes three fully vertically integrated manufacturing facilities in Ohio, as well as R&D centres in Ohio and California, among others.
By the end of 2026, First Solar expects to employ more than 5,500 people in the US and will have invested around $4.5bn in domestic manufacturing and R&D infrastructure since 2019.
First Solar CEO Mark Widmar said: “The passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the [US] administration’s trade policies boosted demand for American energy technology, requiring a timely, agile response that allows us to meet the moment.
“We expect that this new facility will enable us to serve the US market with technology that is compliant with the act’s stringent provisions, within timelines that align with our customers’ objectives.”
By 2027, First Solar anticipates supporting over 30,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs nationwide, totalling over $3bn in labour income.
