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With the launch of a major new solar cell factory under its belt, the red state of South Carolina will be in the somewhat awkward position of working in favor of the US solar industry, while failing to support President Trump’s plans for juicing domestic oil and gas production. That’s just fine with New York and other blue states on the hunt for domestically manufactured solar panels, regardless of White House policy.
South Carolina Gets A Big Foot In The Solar Industry Door
Oil and gas stakeholders enthusiastically supported Trump’s 2024 campaign for office, hoping to benefit from his promise to “drill, baby, drill.” But, sometimes it’s better not to get what you wish for. After all, in 2016 Trump campaigned for his first term in office under the banner of saving coal jobs, and just look how that turned out for the US coal industry.
The US solar industry has grown up since 2016 and it is a force to contend with. Willing partners like South Carolina are eager to win millions of dollars in new investments and hundreds of new jobs, red state politics or not.
The state’s new solar cell factory comes under the umbrella of the US startup ES Foundry, which held a ribbon cutting for its new facility in Greenwood, South Carolina last Friday. The company has spotted an opportunity in the rising demand for crystalline bifacial Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC for short) solar cells, a proven technology. The availability of tax credits is an additional sweetener.
In a press statement on February 3, ES Foundry made it clear that its home state of South Carolina is going to make its mark in the renewable energy field.
“This milestone marks a pivotal moment for the U.S. solar industry,” the company emphasized. “ES Foundry is leading the nation in tackling critical supply chain challenges and driving the nation’s transition to clean energy.”
Pivotal is something of an understatement. The 400,000 square foot factory will boast a roster of more than 500 employees by June, aiming for a shipment capacity of 3 gigawatts later this year.
“ES Foundry is set to become the largest producer of high-quality crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) solar cells in the United States,” the company emphasized for good measure, noting that the new facility cements its — and by relationship, South Carolina’s — leadership role in the US solar industry.
ES Foundry is already well on its way. Without naming names, the company has stated that it has already nailed down a multi-year, gigawatt-scale contract with a “top-tier” manufacturer of solar modules.
Who’s Afraid Of The US Solar Industry?
On their part, public officials in Greenwood were happy to make their mark on the US solar industry.
“To say that Greenwood, South Carolina was chosen to be the home of what will quickly become the largest U.S.-based pure play solar cell manufacturer is the ultimate testimony to the attractiveness of our community for investments in innovative and sustainable technologies,” enthused Greenwood County’s Economic Development Director, James Bateman.
Sustainability has become a bad word around some quarters. However, money talks and sustainable energy is big business. ES Foundry cites the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association, which anticipates that economic activity attributed to the in-state solar industry will rise fourfold over the next 10 years, from $306.6 million in 2024 to almost $1.4 billion in 2035.
“This surge will support the creation of 3,315 permanent jobs, generating $260.9 million annually in labor income,” ES Foundry adds, noting that the cumulative economic impact is projected at $19 billion by 2035.
South Carolina Is Coming On Strong
South Carolina has been climbing up the solar industry ladder in recent years. In addition to the new ES Foundry factory, the state is also home to the Canadian solar panel manufacturer Silfab Solar. The company’s factory in Canada first surfaced on the CleanTechnica radar about nine years ago, and in 2022 it laid plans for a facility in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Billing itself as “North America’s leading photo-voltaic (“PV”) module manufacturer,” last November Silfab announced the closing of a $100 million round of financing to scale up the Fort Mill facility, in response to the growing demand for its products.
Not letting the grass grow under its feet, last month Silfab announced a 350-megawatt agreement to supply its solar panels to another solar industry leader, Pivot Energy. Among other activities, Pivot has been laying plans to expand its community solar business through a partnership with Microsoft (check out more community solar background here).
“The multi-year partnership is the latest supply agreement for Silfab as it prepares to operate its newest and most advanced U.S. production facility in South Carolina. The new facility will initially produce at least 1 gigawatt of American-made solar cells and 1.3 gigawatts of modules,” Silfab explained in a press statement on January 8.
“The fastest way to meet this country’s urgent demand for more sustainable energy is with solar made by Americans using American components,” said Silfab President and CEO, blithely skipping over the part where incoming President Trump promoted himself as a champion of the US oil and gas industry.
Blue States Benefit From Red State Factories
All of this is music to the ears of energy planners in blue states, who are looking forward to a more competitive environment for domestically produced solar panels. The New York Power Authority, for example, just released a new renewable energy plan consisting of 37 projects for a total of 3 gigawatts, the bulk of which will come from solar energy.
The solar industry is just one example of red state – blue state cooperation on renewable energy. In the energy storage field, for example, West Virginia is home to a new iron-air battery manufacturing facility. The state’s homegrown solar industry has been languishing, but as of last fall the company was on track to launch a demonstration project in Minnesota, where the solar industry is running hot.
Then there’s Kentucky, which is hosting a new green steel mill in the city of Brandenburg under the banner of Nucor. The mill specializes in steel for offshore wind turbines. Kentucky is not particularly known as a hotspot for wind energy generation, especially not offshore wind. After all, Kentucky is a landlocked state. However, blue states along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts are eager to add offshore wind to their renewable energy portfolios.
Hold on to your hats. If Trump’s offshore wind ban holds up in court Nucor may have to shift gears, but for now the company has joined the Trump tariff cheerleaders.
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Photo (cropped): The US solar industry is getting a shot of adrenaline from South Carolina, which is adding another new solar factory to its roster along with 500 new jobs (courtesy of ES Foundry).
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