ES Foundry Launches Solar Cell Factory in South Carolina

The 400,000 square foot facility is scheduled to employ about 500 area residents.

Brandon A. Smith, Mayor of Greenwood; Alex Zhu, CEO of ES Foundry; John R. McCravy, III, South Carolina House District 13; and Dayne Pruitt, Greenwood County Councilmember.
Brandon A. Smith, Mayor of Greenwood; Alex Zhu, CEO of ES Foundry; John R. McCravy, III, South Carolina House District 13; and Dayne Pruitt, Greenwood County Councilmember.
ES Foundry

ES Foundry announced the opening of a new crystalline solar cell production manufacturing facility in Greenwood, South Carolina.

ES Foundry expects the 400,000-square-foot facility to employ approximately 500 area residents by June 2025 as it looks to become the largest producer of high-quality crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells in the U.S. The company also anticipates the facility will achieve a shipment capacity of 3 GW by Q3 2025.

This facility aligns with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)'s goal of 100 GW of renewable energy manufacturing capacity, including 50 GW of solar production by 2030. Reinforcing the company's operational readiness and role in reshaping the domestic clean energy landscape, it recently announced its first GW+, multi-year contract with a top-tier solar module manufacturer.

ES Foundry designs its crystalline bifacial PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact) solar cells to meet the escalating demand for domestically manufactured solar modules. Unlike emerging technologies that face challenges with scalability and durability, PERC cells provide a proven, cost-effective solution for developers/asset owners, tax equity providers and panel manufacturers.

ES Foundry produces solar cells domestically, enabling its partners to unlock additional Investment Tax Credit (ITC) benefits for domestic content.

According to the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association (CCEBA), the solar industry's economic impact in South Carolina is expected to increase nearly fourfold by 2035, with projections showing a rise in annual economic activity from $306.6 million in 2024 to almost $1.4 billion by 2035. This surge will support the creation of 3,315 permanent jobs, generating $260.9 million annually in labor income.

By contributing to this growth through its state-of-the-art facility, ES Foundry will play a role in helping the state realize the cumulative $19 billion economic impact projected for the solar industry by 2035.

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