Translucent Energy launches 1.2 GW solar module factory in South Carolina

A new solar panel factory is coming to Summerville, South Carolina. Translucent Energy is investing $15.6 million in the first phase of a plant that will make solar panels, with a total capacity of 1.2 gigawatts once running at full scale. The company expects to create 167 local jobs. Equipment is being tested now and should arrive in October, with the first panels shipping in December. In its first year, the factory aims to produce 600 to 800 megawatts worth of panels.

For homeowners, the residential panels planned here are compact, higher-efficiency models rated at 450 to 470 watts, with efficiency up to about 23.5%. That's on the higher end for home solar systems, meaning fewer panels could cover the same amount of roof space compared to older, lower-efficiency models.

The company says its supply chain is mostly U.S.-based, with some parts sourced from Turkey, which is meant to help solar projects qualify for a bonus under the Inflation Exchange Reduction Act (IRA) for using domestic content. That bonus can lower the cost of a solar installation for the entity that owns the project. The company also says this factory is the first step in a longer-term plan to build more solar components, including cells and wafers, in the U.S. rather than overseas.