First Solar to Inaugurate First Phase of South Carolina Production Facility

What happened

First Solar will inaugurate the first phase of its new Gaffney, South Carolina facility on October 28, 2026. The approximately $330 million site onshores final production for Series 6 Plus modules and currently employs about 500 people.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

Bringing final production steps to South Carolina can shorten the company's supply chain and may reduce shipping and tariff costs, which means expenses tied to importing goods. More local hiring also builds community and political support for First Solar's US manufacturing expansion.

Analyst inference

Solar manufacturers face pressure to keep costs low while meeting domestic content rules, which means local production requirements. A US site may help First Solar qualify for incentives and win buyers who prefer American-made panels, though the added spending must still earn a return.

Analyst inference

What to watch

1. The second phase is expected to be completed by mid-2027, when employment at the facility is forecast to rise from about 500 people to nearly 700 people. Confirmed
2. Watch whether First Solar announces further US factory phases or updates its capital spending plans, which means money budgeted for buildings and equipment, beyond what is already disclosed. Proposed
3. Track whether the Gaffney site lowers First Solar's shipping and tariff costs enough to protect profit per sale, which means the money kept from each module sold, as production ramps up. Analyst inference

Evidence

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