From pv magazine USA
US solar module supplier Mission Solar has announced that through its parent company, OCI Holdings, will invest $265 million to add a 2 GW solar cell manufacturing facility to its campus in San Antonio, Texas.
Mission plans to produce 1 GW of cells by the first quarter of 2026, planning “to ultimately secure a total production capacity of 2 GW,” according to a statement by OCI Holdings.
The company said it will manufacture solar cells domestically using polysilicon from Malaysian OCI TerraSus, a subsidiary of OCI Holdings that uses hydropower to power its polysilicon manufacturing operations.
The US solar industry is working to establish an independent manufacturing supply chain, but solar cell production remains limited. Suniva operates a 1 GW cell manufacturing facility in Georgia, while ES Foundry recently launched a 1 GW plant in South Carolina. Meanwhile, domestic solar module assembly capacity is set to grow 190%, from 14.5 GW at the end of 2023 to 52.3 GW by 2025, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).
“As our nation experiences a resurgence in American manufacturing, we are expanding our capabilities to deliver fully domestic solar solutions,” said Sam Martens, president of Mission Solar Energy. “Bringing solar cell production to our facility underscores our commitment to US manufacturing, job creation, and a transparent, ethical supply chain.”
Mission Solar completed a 200,000 square-foot facility expansion in May 2024 of its San Antonio factory, creating space to house a cell and module production facility. The company expects the cell fab to create 500 long-term manufacturing jobs.
The US-based solar cell manufacturing business is expected to benefit from the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit (AMPC) under the Inflation Reduction Act, which offers a tax credit of $0.04 per watt. Additionally, solar projects that meet a threshold of US domestic content are eligible for an additional 10% Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
OCI Holdings said that the Malaysia-made polysilicon from OCI TerraSus has a fully traceable supply chain that is compliant with US Customs rules and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
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