U.S. Solar Integration
Qcells Begins Production at Nation's First Vertically Integrated Solar Factory in Georgia
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Key Points
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Qcells previously said trade- and logistics-related delays were severe enough that “last year… [it] slowed down production and implemented furloughs” before beginning to move key solar components into U.S. manufacturing.
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When Qcells announced the Cartersville vertically integrated project in 2023, it pegged the investment at about $2.5 billion—information that puts the scale of the buildout into clearer context.
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Qcells and the industry press described the Cartersville operation as a leap in scale: the factory is expected to become the “largest operating solar cell factory in the country” once it reaches full production.
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SEIA data cited by EnergyNews.pro shows the broader U.S. manufacturing surge: U.S. module manufacturing capacity rose “more than 750%,” from 8 GW before federal manufacturing tax credits to 69.9 GW as of June 2026, with “around 30 GW” of capacity reportedly under construction nationwide.
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The Cartersville plant is framed as the U.S.’s “1st fully vertically integrated solar manufacturing plant,” and Qcells is noted as part of South Korea’s Hanwha Solutions—context that underscores the company’s supply-chain strategy and ownership behind the reshoring push.
Qcells has started making solar cells at its new Cartersville, Georgia factory — a milestone that moves the U.S. closer to a fully homegrown solar supply chain. The plant, backed by a $2.5 billion investment from South Korea's Hanwha Solutions, is on track to become the largest operating solar cell factory in the country, according to PV Tech.
The module assembly line is already running at full capacity, turning out about 16,700 panels per day, Qcells says. Full production across all stages — ingots, wafers, cells, and modules — is expected by Q3 2026.
America's First Fully Vertical Solar Factory Takes Shape
The Cartersville plant is described as the first fully vertically integrated solar manufacturing facility in the U.S. That means ingots, wafers, cells, and modules will all be made under one roof. Annual capacity is set at 3.3 gigawatts each for ingots, wafers, and cells, plus 3.5 gigawatts of finished modules, according to PV Tech.
Combined with Qcells' existing Dalton, Georgia plant, total Georgia module output will reach about 8.6 gigawatts per year, AJOT reports. That is enough to power roughly 1.3 million U.S. homes. The two sites together are expected to support nearly 4,000 jobs by the end of 2026.
Trade Delays and Tariff Fears Drove the Push Indoors
The move to domestic production was not simply a growth play. Qcells previously said trade and logistics problems were bad enough that the company "slowed down production and implemented furloughs," according to WABE. Scrutiny of imports under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act created serious customs delays, even after Qcells was eventually cleared.
Qcells Global CEO Andy Park framed the cell production launch as a direct answer to "tariff volatility." Making components in the U.S. removes customs risk and gives customers more certainty on price and delivery, the company says. Scott Moskowitz, Qcells' VP of Market Strategy, noted that the U.S. solar industry was "basically extinct" a decade ago.
$2.5 Billion Bet on Federal Tax Credits Paying Off
The factory's economics lean heavily on the Inflation Reduction Act's Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit. Because Qcells makes ingots, wafers, and cells — not just modules — it can stack credits at each stage of production. The company projects roughly $675 million in 45X tax credits in 2026 alone, rising to $1.1 billion by 2029, according to Power Technology.
Domestic production also helps solar projects qualify for the investment tax credit's domestic-content bonus. Developers who use Qcells panels can now claim a "Made in USA" certification from a single vendor. That matters especially given a July 4, 2026 deadline tied to the "One Big Beautiful Bill" for projects to hit domestic-content thresholds, PV Tech reports.
U.S. Module Capacity Has Surged 750% Since 2022
The Cartersville launch fits a much broader manufacturing boom. U.S. module capacity jumped more than 750% — from 8 gigawatts before federal manufacturing tax credits to 69.9 gigawatts as of June 2026 — with around 30 gigawatts more under construction nationwide, according to SEIA data cited by WABE.
But analysts note that upstream capacity — ingots and wafers — remained a gap until now. Qcells is the first company to close that gap at scale inside the U.S. Still, PV Tech points out that Qcells will likely still import most of its raw polysilicon from South Korea or Germany while its domestic ingot lines ramp up through late 2026.
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