South Carolina-based ES Foundry, a crystalline solar cell production company, said it has completed a 2-GW expansion of its factory in Greenwood, South Carolina. The company on July 7 said the first solar cell has come off the new production line at the site, and said its total annual solar cell manufacturing capacity is now 3 GW.
ES Foundry on Tuesday said the expansion supports “a fully resilient American solar manufacturing ecosystem” and helps address gaps in the supply of U.S.-made solar power components.
“This milestone is about execution,” said Alex Zhu, CEO of ES Foundry. “The U.S. solar market does not need more announcements—it needs operating capacity, proven production and domestic suppliers that can support customers now. With our 2-GW expansion complete, our total capacity now at 3 GW and the first cell off the new line, ES Foundry is helping close one of the most critical gaps in the U.S. solar supply chain.”
ES Foundry’s Greenwood facility produces crystalline bifacial PERC solar cells, a technology designed to support a range of U.S. solar applications, from utility-scale projects to distributed-generation systems.
“Customers are looking for manufacturing partners that can do more than promise capacity,” Zhu added. “They need partners that can produce, document and deliver. This expansion strengthens our ability to support customers at scale while helping build a more resilient and competitive U.S. solar supply chain.”
The company said the expanded factory reinforces its growing economic impact in Greenwood County through job creation and workforce development.
“Greenwood has been an outstanding partner as we have grown,” said Lionel Moss, general manager of Operations at ES Foundry. “This community has the workforce, infrastructure and commitment needed to support advanced manufacturing at scale. We have already hired more than 400 people, and this expansion allows us to continue bringing jobs, investment and long-term economic value to the region.”
ES Foundry opened the Greenwood facility in January 2025.
—Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
