T1 Energy Inc. announced it has started work on its G2_Austin facility dedicated to manufacturing silicon solar cells, with an initial expected capacity of 2.1GW per year. The project represents an investment between $400mn and $425mn, fully focused on advanced manufacturing within the United States. This first phase aims to produce high-efficiency TOPCon cells by the end of 2026.
The G2_Austin production site, located on more than 100 acres in Milam County, is designed to exceed the current total U.S. capacity for silicon solar cell manufacturing. The company anticipates that the facility will create up to 1,800 jobs in advanced manufacturing.
A strategic reinforcement of the U.S. photovoltaic supply chain
The G2_Austin site is part of an industrial strategy to establish a fully domestic photovoltaic supply chain. The cells produced in Rockdale will be shipped to T1 Energy’s 5GW G1_Dallas facility, which already assembles solar modules for domestic energy developers.
The new factory will be supplied with key raw materials by T1 Energy’s partners, Hemlock Semiconductor and Corning Inc., both based in Michigan. These companies will provide the polysilicon and solar wafers, two essential components in solar cell manufacturing.
Planned expansion based on market demand
The second phase of the G2_Austin project foresees an additional 3.2GW in capacity, with its implementation depending on market demand for domestically produced photovoltaic cells. The entire G2 industrial complex aims to build an integrated production hub capable of meeting the dynamics of the U.S. renewable energy market.
T1 Energy situates this initiative within a policy environment supportive of industrial reshoring, bolstered by the current administration’s economic and trade measures. The company affirms its goal of securing national supply and meeting rising demand for locally produced energy solutions.
