T1 Energy has started construction of a 2.1 GW TOPCon solar cell factory in Texas, with an estimated investment of $400 to $425 million
The plant will support T1’s 5 GW US module factory and use domestically sourced polysilicon and wafers
A further expansion of 3.2 GW under Phase II, and potentially up to 8 GW, will depend on market demand
US solar PV manufacturer T1 Energy has launched the construction of its TOPCon solar cell factory in the US with an annual production capacity of 2.1 GW. This forms Phase I of its G2_Austin project.
To be built for an estimated investment of $400 million to $425 million, the cell fab is scheduled to start rolling out high-efficiency TOPCon cells by the end of 2026. The remaining planned capacity of 3.2 GW will be realized under Phase II, but it will undertake expansion only if there is an increase in demand for cells. The factory can be scaled up further to produce up to 8 GW solar cells annually, T1 had announced previously.
Even with 2.1 GW capacity, this phase is larger than the existing US capacity to manufacture silicon-based solar cells, emphasized the manufacturer. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), US solar cell production capacity remains limited to single digits even though announcements run into several GWs (see US Brings Online 11.7 GW New Solar PV Capacity In Q3 2025).
Located in Milam County of Texas, the G2_Austin fab will serve the company’s own 5 GW solar module fab G1_Dallas, which is ramping up. It has already locked in supplies of domestically manufactured polysilicon and solar wafers from Hemlock Semiconductor and Corning. This year, the company expects its module production to range within 2.6 GW and 3.0 GW (see T1 Energy Sold 725 MW US-Made Solar Modules In Q3 2025).
“G2_Austin is a centerpiece of our strategy to build an integrated U.S. polysilicon solar supply chain,” stated T1 Energy Chairman and CEO Dan Barcelo.
The manufacturer praised the ‘pro-growth economic and trade policies’ of the US government for its growing investment in silicon-based manufacturing in the country. It recently took a minority investment in solar cell maker Talon PV, which is building a 4.8 GW TOPCon solar cell plant in Baytown, Texas, for commissioning in 2027 to support ‘non-FEOC’ domestic supply chains (see T1 Energy Invests In US Solar Cell Producer Talon PV).
Earlier, T1 signed a non-binding Heads of Agreement with Manaar Gulf Saudi Arabia to explore investment in the G2_Austin solar cell fab (see T1 Energy Seeks Saudi Investment For 5 GW US Solar Cell Plant).
