ES Foundry, manufacturer of crystalline bifacial passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) solar cells in Greenwood, South Carolina, achieved its goal of 1 GW annually and has plans to triple that by the end of 2026.
The made-in-America solar cells provide a Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC)-compliant foundation for developers and asset owners seeking to meet the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) domestic-content requirements and reduce exposure to imported-supply-chain risk.
Until recently there was very little solar cell production in the U.S., leaving module makers to source from overseas. But the tide has turned. The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates that the United States has surpassed 60 GW of domestic solar module production capacity, and there’s now over 3 GW of domestic solar cell capacity, with 21.3 GW under construction and 13.1 GW planned.
“In 2025, ES Foundry demonstrated that American solar cell manufacturing is both achievable and essential,” said Alex Zhu, CEO of ES Foundry.
ES Foundry reports that in 2025 it partnered directly with leading U.S. developers and asset owners to integrate its FEOC-free crystalline cells into commercial, community and utility-scale projects. One of those companies is domestic solar module manufacturer, Bila Solar, with which ES Foundry signed a multi-year agreement to supply 300 MWs of solar cells.
Module makers such as Bila are looking for domestically produced solar cells in order to be eligible for the 45X advanced manufacturing credit under the OBBBA. The requirement is that as of the end of 2026, components must be integrated into another eligible component within the same facility, then must be sold to an unrelated entity. Furthermore, the OBBBA and a subsequent executive order accelerates restrictions on incorporating FEOC components that take effect in the tax years beginning after July 4, 2025.
After achieving its 2025 goals, ES Foundry is moving closer to its planned 2 GW Phase II expansion at its Greenwood facility.
Not only will this tripling of production contribute much needed components to the U.S. solar supply chain, but it will add workers as well. Zhu told pv magazine USA that ES Foundry currently employs 300+ people in Greenwood and plans to increase that to 600+ in 2026.
“Investing in new equipment and bringing more people onto the team isn’t just about increasing output — it’s about strengthening the entire domestic solar-manufacturing ecosystem,” Zhu said. “As we scale toward our next phase of expansion in Greenwood, we’re building the capacity, expertise and reliability our partners need to plan with confidence in 2026 and beyond.”
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