SC judge determines solar manufacturing needs ‘heavy industrial’ zoning Silfab Solar can continue work in 'light industrial' zone due to prior approval.

A South Carolina judge has ruled that solar panel manufacturing counts as heavy industrial activity, not the lighter "computer and electronic products manufacturing" category that York County had used to approve Silfab Solar's plant in Fort Mill. The York County Board of Zoning Appeals had already reversed itself on this back in 2024, and the judge's ruling this week backs that reversal.

This doesn't shut down Silfab's plant. Because the project was already underway before the zoning board changed its position, the company is grandfathered in and can keep operating in the light industrial zone where it's located. Silfab says the ruling has no effect on current operations or permits, and employees are working as normal. The company plans to appeal, mainly to protect its ability to expand production and hiring at the site in the future. Some Fort Mill residents have opposed the plant, citing its location near an elementary school and concerns over chemicals used in solar cell manufacturing, concerns that grew after two chemical spill incidents in March, though state and federal environmental regulators said there was no risk.

For homeowners, this is mostly a local zoning and manufacturing story rather than something that changes solar costs or incentives directly. Silfab's Fort Mill site is meant to produce panels and cells domestically, which could matter over time for the supply and pricing of US-made solar equipment, but nothing here affects rebates or installation options right now.