Qcells Launches US Solar Cell Manufacturing At Georgia

Qcells has officially launched solar cell production at its Cartersville, Georgia factory in the US. Once it is in full production by Q3 2026, it will be the largest operating solar cell factory in the country, according to the manufacturer.  

This should give a strong boost to the US solar cell manufacturing capacity which at the end of March 2026 reached 3.2 GW compared with 70 GW modules, as per the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).   

The Georgia site, which Qcells describes as the 1st fully vertically integrated solar manufacturing plant in the US, is designed to produce major solar module components—including ingots, wafers, cells, and finished modules—at a single location.  

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to have 3.3 GW of annual production capacity for ingots, wafers, and cells each, along with 3.5 GW of module production.  

Part of South Korea’s Hanwha Solutions, Qcells had originally been targeting 2024 deadline for 8.4 GW solar PV production capacity comprising 3.3 GW module and 3.3 GW of ingot, wafer and cell capacity each (see Hanwha Solutions Planning 8.4 GW US Production Capacity).    

Qcells said module assembly at the site is already operating at full capacity, producing around 16,700 panels per day. Combined with its expanded Dalton, Georgia facility, the company's total US module manufacturing capacity is projected to reach 8.6 GW annually by the end of September 2026.  

Andy Park, Global CEO of Qcells said, “As our ingot, wafer, and cell lines reach full capacity, we’ll be making the major components of a solar panel right here in Georgia. A dependable domestic supply chain doesn’t just create thousands of good-paying jobs, it gives our customers greater certainty on price, supply, and tariffs, and a product they can trust from start to finish.” 

The company stated that domestically manufactured modules could help project developers qualify for US domestic-content incentives while also improving supply-chain reliability and reducing exposure to trade-related uncertainties. Qcells expects its Georgia operations to support nearly 4,000 jobs across the state. 

Qcells had to furlough over 1,000 employees at its Georgia factories in November 2025 as its shipments were stopped at the boder by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for suspected use of Chinese components banned under Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). The factories resumed production in March 2026 (see Qcells Georgia Factories Resume Solar Panel Production).  

Qcells’ solar supplier Hanwha Advanced Materials Georgia (HAGA) had also announced plans to build a new advanced materials manufacturing factory in the US in Georgia’s Bartow County to produce EVA films. It aimed for the factory to be operational in June 2024 (see US Solar PV Encapsulant Fab From Hanwha Group).