Suniva plans to establish a 4.5 GW solar cell manufacturing facility in Laurens, South Carolina. The facility is expected to open in the second quarter of 2027. The 620,000 sq. ft. facility represents an investment of over $350 million which along with Suniva’s existing Atlanta facility will raise the company’s total U.S. solar cell manufacturing capacity to over 5.5 GW annually.
Founded in 2007, Suniva is one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of monocrystalline solar cells in North America. The company originated from the University Center for Excellence in Photovoltaics at Georgia Tech, with additional backing from research funded by the US Department of Energy. Over its 16-year journey, Suniva has built a strong reputation as an innovation leader, developing and licensing more than 150 patents in solar cell technology.
In November 2025, First Solar announced plans to set up a new facility in South Carolina, to complete the production process for its Series 6 Plus modules. The company plans to invest approximately $330 million in the plant, which is scheduled to begin commercial operations in the second half of 2026. The facility is expected to add 3.7 GW of manufacturing capacity.
