Hanwha's Qcells (a manufacturer of photovoltaic cells) has begun manufacturing solar cells at its Cartersville, Georgia, facility, clearing what the company describes as a major milestone toward operating the only vertically integrated solar manufacturing plant in the United States, where every major component from ingot to finished module is produced under a single roof.

A First for American Solar Manufacturing

The Cartersville factory is the first facility of its kind to be built in the United States in more than a decade. With solar cell production now underway, Qcells expects to reach full operational capacity by the third quarter of 2026, at which point the company says it will be running the largest solar cell factory in U.S. history. Module assembly at the Cartersville site has already reached full capacity, producing 16,700 panels per day.

When fully operational, the Cartersville plant will produce 3.3 gigawatts each of ingots, wafers, and cells annually, along with 3.5 gigawatts of finished modules per year. The facility is also home to the largest ingot and wafer plant ever constructed in the country, according to Qcells.

Andy Park, Global CEO of Qcells, called the start of cell production a milestone for both the company and for American manufacturing more broadly. "As our ingot, wafer, and cell lines reach full capacity, we'll be making the major components of a solar panel right here in Georgia," Park said.

"A dependable domestic supply chain doesn't just create thousands of good-paying jobs, it gives our customers greater certainty on price, supply, and tariffs, and a product they can trust from start to finish."

Georgia Manufacturing Footprint Reaches 8.6 GW

The Cartersville facility is not Qcells' only manufacturing presence in Georgia. The company also operates a campus in Dalton, which tripled its module production capacity to 5.1 gigawatts in late 2023.

Combined with the new output from Cartersville, Qcells' total module capacity across its Georgia operations will reach 8.6 gigawatts per year by the end of the third quarter of 2026.

That translates to approximately 47,000 panels produced each day and, according to the company, is roughly equivalent to the energy needed to power 1.3 million American homes for a year.

The combined Georgia operations span two counties. Qcells' Cartersville plant is located in Bartow County, while the Dalton campus sits in Whitfield County. Across both sites, Qcells expects its Georgia workforce to reach nearly 4,000 direct employees, with an estimated 3,800 direct jobs across the two counties.

Tax Credit Advantages Along the Full Supply Chain

The vertical integration achieved at Cartersville carries direct financial implications, both for Qcells and for its customers. Because the plant produces ingots, wafers, cells, and modules domestically, Qcells says it is positioned to claim the Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit at each stage of the production process.

The company states that no other U.S. solar manufacturer can currently do the same, giving Qcells what it describes as a competitive advantage that supports further investment in domestic manufacturing and workforce development.

For customers, the domestic origin of Cartersville's components provides a clearer path to qualifying for the 10 percent Domestic Content Bonus under the Investment Tax Credit.

Project developers and asset owners pursuing this bonus must meet specific sourcing requirements, and Qcells says the fully domestic component supply chain produced at Cartersville allows customers to pursue qualifying projects with greater confidence around pricing, supply, and sourcing.

Supply Chain Certainty in an Era of Tariff Volatility

Qcells is positioning the domestic manufacturing footprint at Cartersville as a hedge against supply chain disruptions and trade policy uncertainty. By producing the major components of a solar module inside the United States, the company says it can give customers greater visibility into sourcing, pricing, and delivery timelines, reducing their exposure to international supply constraints and what the company describes as tariff volatility.

For developers and energy buyers focused on long-term project execution, Qcells argues that the domestic supply chain represents an increasingly decisive advantage as demand for fully domestically sourced solar equipment continues to grow. The company says it expects strong customer interest in modules produced at the Cartersville facility as a result.

Scale and Significance of the Investment

The Cartersville project represents one of the most significant capital commitments to solar manufacturing in U.S. history. It is the first vertically integrated solar factory to be built in the country in over a decade, and the scale of its ingot and wafer production lines has no domestic precedent.

Qcells characterizes the investment as a demonstration of its long-term commitment to building an American supply chain capable of serving utilities, commercial customers, government projects, and residential markets.

Qcells operates manufacturing facilities in the United States, Malaysia, and South Korea and describes itself as the largest silicon-based solar manufacturer in the United States.

Powering Your Pipeline: Intelligence Built for North America's Energy Sector

How much opportunity is slipping past your team simply because the right intelligence didn't arrive at the right time? In the fast-moving power sector across the United States, the margin between winning and losing a project often comes down to who had better visibility and who acted on it first.

The Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform by Blackridge Research was built to close that gap. From grid modernization initiatives to large-scale renewable energy developments, our platform continuously monitors the full lifecycle of power projects spanning the United States, giving your team the structured, actionable data needed to move with confidence.

Whether you are a developer, contractor, equipment supplier, or investor operating in the North American power market, staying ahead of project activity across the United States requires more than periodic research; it demands a live, comprehensive intelligence feed you can trust every day.

• Upcoming Projects

• Tender Notices

• Contract Awards

• Projects Under Construction

• Completed Projects

See the full scope of the United States power market in one place. Book a Free Demo with the Blackridge Research team today and discover how the Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform can sharpen your competitive edge.