Qcells starts Georgia solar cell production as U.S. manufacturing capacity expands

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Qcells starts Georgia solar cell production

Highlights

Qcells began solar cell production at its Cartersville, Georgia factory, with annual capacity of 3.3 gigawatts of cells, wafers, and ingots.
When fully operational in Q3, the Cartersville site will be the largest U.S. solar cell factory, nearly doubling current U.S. cell capacity of 3.2 gigawatts.
Qcells invested $2.5 billion in its U.S. supply chain in 2023, capitalizing on federal subsidies and trade measures aimed at reducing reliance on Asian imports.

Georgia factory adds key supply chain step

As reported by Qcells, the company has started making solar cells at its Cartersville, Georgia factory, advancing its plan to manufacture the main components used in silicon-based solar panels in the United States.

Solar cells are the core building blocks of modules that convert sunlight into electricity. Qcells says the Cartersville site will have annual capacity of 3.3 gigawatts each of ingots, wafers and cells, along with 3.5 gigawatts of modules, and is expected to become the largest solar cell factory in U.S. history when it reaches full production in the third quarter of this year.

Scott Moskowitz, Qcells' vice president of market strategy, says cell production has been the key capability the country has been trying to bring back to the United States.

U.S. solar sector pushes to cut import reliance

The expansion comes as the U.S. solar industry works to reduce dependence on equipment imported from Asia, particularly as trade tensions and restrictions targeting Chinese-linked suppliers disrupt supplies. U.S. solar manufacturing has long lagged China, which remains the dominant global supplier of solar components.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the United States currently has 3.2 gigawatts of solar cell capacity and 60 gigawatts of panel capacity, meaning most cells used by domestic module factories are still imported. Production from the Qcells facility would nearly double existing U.S. cell capacity.

Washington has sought to build domestic output through subsidies and trade measures, including tax credits tied to locally made equipment. Qcells announced a $2.5 billion investment in its U.S. supply chain in 2023 and has emerged as one of the largest beneficiaries of those policies.

Estée Lauder’s UK Whitman facility expansion was previously covered in our publication, highlighting a $72 million investment that boosts automation and sustainability while positioning the site as a global hub for luxury candle production. The article also noted how the manufacturing upgrade supported near-term positive sentiment in EL shares, even as the stock faced technical resistance and a likely consolidation range in the days ahead.

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