PVTIME – On 9 June, Qcells confirmed the commencement of full solar cell production at its manufacturing facility in Cartersville, Georgia. The site is home to the United States’ only fully vertically integrated PV production campus, covering ingot, wafer, cell and module manufacturing under one roof. This production launch marks a significant milestone in the lead-up to the facility’s full capacity rollout, scheduled for Q3 2026. Once fully operational, the facility will set a new national record for domestic solar cell output, while its module assembly lines are already running at maximum throughput, delivering 16,700 panels daily.
Andy Park, Qcells’ global chief executive, stated that the launch of the cell line marks a significant corporate milestone and a major advance for American domestic manufacturing. Full ramp-up of all ingot, wafer and cell lines will enable the production of all core PV components onshore. This will create substantial, well-paid, skilled regional jobs, alongside stable pricing, consistent supply schedules, reduced tariff exposure for downstream buyers and full traceability of quality control across all production stages.
Upon reaching full throughput in Q3 2026, the Cartersville plant will deliver an annual output of 3.3GW of ingots, wafers and cells, plus a yearly module capacity of 3.5GW. Combined with the Dalton factory, which expanded its module capacity to 5.1GW in late 2023, Qcells’ total module production capacity in Georgia will stand at 8.6GW. The combined sites will produce 47,000 panels each day, providing enough energy to power around 1.3 million US households annually.
The dual manufacturing campuses in Georgia are expected to create nearly 4,000 jobs, with 3,800 of these being direct roles concentrated across Bartow and Whitfield counties. This will support the growth of regional high-end manufacturing and local labour markets. Modules manufactured in Cartersville qualify asset holders and project developers for a 10% domestic production tax credit under US investment tax rules. The full domestic manufacture of all core hardware mitigates uncertainties around project costing, material sourcing and supply continuity, while also strengthening eligibility for fiscal incentives amid the nationwide increase in demand for fully domestically manufactured PV equipment.
This complete domestic production network protects against disruption from shifts in the global supply chain and evolving international trade regulations. Full localised manufacturing provides clients with complete visibility of sourcing, pricing and delivery timelines, thereby reducing operational risks arising from production limits and tariff adjustments overseas. The stable supply chain provides a significant competitive advantage for utility-scale solar developers and energy procurement firms seeking long-term project delivery security.
Qcells is the only US PV manufacturer that can claim the full 45X advanced manufacturing production tax credit for every stage of its domestic production process, from ingot processing to finished modules. This benefit is unavailable to competing domestic solar manufacturers. The fiscal gains generated by this policy advantage will fund sustained investment in domestic production upgrades, industry talent development, and long-term local supply chain infrastructure.
The Cartersville facility is home to the nation’s first end-to-end vertical PV production line in over a decade, as well as the largest ingot and wafer manufacturing complex ever built in the United States. The launch of the facility validates Qcells’ long-term strategy of building a complete domestic US PV supply chain. It will deliver consistent local hardware for residential, commercial, utility and community solar schemes, lower tax incentive application barriers, and secure a reliable supply for downstream partners.
As the largest US silicon-based PV manufacturer and a global provider of clean energy solutions, Qcells offers integrated services covering PV manufacturing, smart energy systems, and large-scale EPC contracts. The company’s ongoing expansion of US domestic production is in response to the growing demand for scalable, stable solar assets across the utility, commercial, public, and residential markets. The firm maintains a cross-border production network spanning the United States, Malaysia and South Korea, with a sustained focus on developing the US market to promote local energy deployment and job creation.
Qcells’ product and service portfolio combines high-performance PV hardware, energy storage systems, proprietary energy management software and customised financial frameworks to streamline solar asset planning, construction and large-scale operation. The group also runs PV recycling programmes and develops next-generation cell technology to reinforce long-term industrial sustainability. With operations spanning four continents, Qcells is well placed to continue supplying premium PV hardware, dependable project delivery and lasting industrial collaboration to international markets.
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