U.S. Emerges as World's Third Largest Solar Manufacturing Hub with 50GW Planned Capacity

According to the latest data from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the domestic production capacity of solar modules in the United States has successfully exceeded 50GW, reaching a historic manufacturing milestone. At full production, these factories can meet all of the solar energy needs in the United States.

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) supply chain dashboard shows that companies have announced plans to add 56 GW of solar cell production, as well as 24 GW of wafers and 13 GW of ingots, in the United States. Solar tracker production capacity currently exceeds 80 GW.

SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said that the 50GW of solar manufacturing capacity in the United States demonstrates what can be achieved through smart, business-friendly public policies. Thanks to these policies, the United States is now the world's third-largest producer of modules. This milestone not only represents progress in the solar industry, but also highlights the important role of energy policies in building domestic manufacturing and supporting American workers and their families.

In 2020, SEIAA set a goal of 50 GW of U.S. solar manufacturing capacity by 2030, equivalent to the generating capacity of 27 Hoover Dams. At the time, the United States had only 7 GW of module manufacturing capacity, 41 metric tons of polysilicon capacity, and some inverter and racking capacity domestically, with no manufacturing capacity for other key upstream inputs.

SEIA's 50 GW manufacturing goal highlights the importance of building the domestic solar supply chain sequentially. Establishing downstream module manufacturing first ensures sufficient demand for upstream manufacturing. Based on this strategic sequencing, two domestic solar cell factories have come online in the past few months in Georgia and South Carolina.

In setting the initial manufacturing goals, SEIA outlined key policies to incentivize investment in U.S. solar manufacturing, many of which were implemented through its advocacy, such as the advanced manufacturing production tax credit and incentives for solar projects that use U.S.-made products. To further support the industry, SEIA successfully advocated for solar silicon ingot and wafer manufacturing to be eligible for the 25% investment tax credit under the 2022 Consolidated and Further Advancement of Science and Technology (CHIPS) Act. The U.S. solar module manufacturing sector has grown five-fold following the passage of key federal energy policies. As a result, the United States is now the world's third-largest producer of solar modules.