T1 Energy announced it has selected Yates Construction as contractor for preconstruction services and site preparation for its $850 million solar cell manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas.
The G2 Austin factory is expected to begin producing solar cells in the second half of 2026 and is planned to reach an annual output of 5 GW of cells per year. The facility is expected to create up to 1,800 full-time jobs. T1 Energy said the site will produce advanced TOPCon solar cells.
Commissioners of Milam County, Texas unanimously voted to provide T1 Energy a long-term tax abatement package subject to the company meeting employment and investment thresholds at the facility.
“We’re thrilled to welcome T1 Energy to Milam County—this partnership brings not just innovation, but the kind of high-quality, good-paying jobs that empower our local families and strengthen our community,” said Milam County Judge Bill Whitmire.
Yates Construction joins SSOE Group, which has been providing project engineering for the project since December 2024.
Solar cell production is a critically underserved leg of the solar manufacturing supply chain in the United States. While facilities nationwide are actively producing over 56 GW of solar modules per year, only 2 GW of solar cell production capacity is operational and 19 GW under construction, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Solar cell production is a more advanced manufacturing process and typically requires more capital investment to launch than module assembly.
Image: SEIA
T1 Energy launched as a rebrand of Freyr Battery, acquiring solar manufacturing assets from major global supplier Trina Solar for $340 million in late 2024. In early 2025, Freyr Battery scrapped plans for a $2.6 billion battery energy storage system factory in the state of Georgia, pivoted to solar manufacturing, and rebranded as T1 Energy.
The acquisition from Trina Solar included a 5 GW, 1.35 million square foot automated solar module manufacturing facility in Wilmer, Texas. In Q1, 2025, T1 Energy reported production of 443 MW of solar modules at the site, called G1 Dallas.
In its Q1 2025 earnings report, the company reduced its production forecast for solar modules to a range of 2.6 GW to 3.0 GW, down from a previous expectation of 3.4 GW. The company cited “near term trade policy uncertainties that are obscuring Bill of Materials cost visibility and creating a temporary lull in bidding activity.” It said the lowered forecast is also due to its decision to convert production lines from PERC to TOPCon technology and a “potential 800 MW inventory build.”
“We are well positioned to manage this sales environment with 1.7 GW of 2025 contracted module offtake coverage, a robust cash and liquidity position, and the continued production and sales ramp up at G1 Dallas,” said Daniel Barcelo, chief executive officer, T1 Energy.
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