Turkish solar module manufacturer begins production in Texas

Elin Energy, a Turkish module manufacturer is now manufacturing solar modules in Texas.

Founded in 1981, Elin has been supplying solar modules to the European solar market, and since passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, now plans to do the same in the U.S. market.

Under the name Sirius PV USA, the company opened a 225,000 square foot module manufacturing plant in Waller County, near Houston, Texas, where it began production last month. Elin is leasing the facility which was previously used as a distribution center.

The company said it has an agreement with key U.S. distributors and it will begin with 1 GW annual production, intending to increase to 2 GW within 18 months. Sirius PV USA currently employs more than 100 associates locally in Texas, and reported plans to scale up to 500 associates as the company increases production.

While Elin is producing TOPCon modules in its facility in Turkey, Ercan Kalafat, CEO, Sirius PV USA told pv magazine USA that  it will initially use PERC technology in the U.S. with plans to shift to TOPCon beginning in July. Its PERC modules are bifacial and range from 410 to 580 Watts, catering to residential, commercial and utility-scale markets.

In Turkey Elin’s main product is the 580W TOPCon (bifacial, silver-framed) module, and the company also makes other types of modules including glass-to-glass. Elin reports that its combined manufacturing capacity in Turkey, across three factories, is 3.5 GW per year.

Kalafat told pv magazine USA that the company views the U.S. market as pivotal in its strategy to become a global brand, noting that the U.S. presents significant opportunities for the company to establish itself as a global player alongside its Chinese-origin competitors.

Elin joins a raft of other solar module makers who have set up production–or plan to–in Texas, including Trina Solar, Canadian Solar and SEG Solar.

Trina announced it will invest about $200 million in a Texas manufacturing plant with an annual manufacturing capacity of 5 GW. Trina’s new factory is expected to begin producing its Vertex line of modules with 210 mm wafers in 2024. The company expects to bring 1,500 jobs to Texas.

Last June, Canadian Solar announced an investment of $250 million in a factory in Mesquite, bringing 5 GW of TOPCon module manufacturing capacity, and also creating about 1,500 jobs.

SEG Solar, maker of TOPCon solar modules, announced last September that it is setting up a module manufacturing facility in Houston with plans for production to begin in March 2024. Future plans include manufacturing both cell and ingots in the U.S.

Mission Solar has been manufacturing solar modules in Texas for over ten years. Last year the company announced intention of expanding production by 1 GW.