T1 Energy and Corning today announced a new partnership to boost the U.S. solar supply chain. T1 will source hyper-pure polysilicon and solar wafers made by Corning at its plant in Michigan.
Starting later next year, Corning wafers will be delivered to T1's G2_Austin solar cell facility, which is currently under development. The cells will then be used to make solar modules at T1's operational G1_Dallas site.
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T1's G2_Austin 5 GW Solar Cell Facility is an $850 million project. According to the company, the project is enabled by the Trump Administration's tariffs and other policies that support American manufacturing. The facility is expected to begin producing cells by the end of 2026 and create up to 1,800 full-time jobs.
G2_Austin is a key part of T1's strategy to build a domestic solar and battery supply chain.
T1, formerly known as Norwegian company Freyr Battery, is now based in Austin, Texas. This February, Freyr announced plans to shift its focus from lithium battery development to American solar panel manufacturing with "battery aspirations."
Officials in Georgia may still have a sour taste in their mouths when it comes to T1. When T1 rebranded earlier this year, it also abandoned plans to build a massive electric battery factory in Newnan, which is near Atlanta. The company said it was bailing on the $2.6 billion project that was set to hire more than 700 people.
According to T1, the new agreement with Corning will create a more stable and predictable supply of domestically sourced solar components. By connecting American-made polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules, this vertically integrated model supports long-term planning, regulatory compliance and energy resilience, the company says.
T1 says the U.S. needs more electricity immediately to compete in the global AI race and achieve energy independence. The T1-Corning agreement addresses this urgency by unlocking the nation's most scalable energy source through a manufacturing base that spans Michigan and Texas.
The company bought its solar panel factory from top Chinese solar panel maker Trina Solar for $340 million last year.
"This landmark supply chain agreement with Corning will help invigorate America with scalable, reliable, low-cost energy," said Daniel Barcelo, T1's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. "This is American companies building in America and protecting American energy security."
According to Barcelo, the U.S. needs to establish critical energy supply chains built on domestic capacity and industrial knowhow.
AB Ghosh, Corning Vice President and General Manager of Solar and Chairman and CEO of Hemlock Semiconductor, said the company is "accelerating the ramp of our advanced manufacturing capabilities to support a resilient U.S. solar supply chain."
Hemlock Semiconductor, which is majority-owned by Corning, is the largest U.S. manufacturer of hyper-pure polysilicon. The company is headquartered in Hemlock, Michigan.
By building foundational infrastructure in Michigan, Corning hopes to add good-paying manufacturing jobs, strengthen the U.S. solar industry and advance a more energy-independent future for the U.S.
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