ES Foundry, an American company advancing U.S. solar by onshoring crystalline solar cell production, today announced it has secured its first GW+, multi-year contract with a top-tier solar module manufacturer.
This milestone underscores the company's operational readiness and role in reshaping the domestic clean energy landscape.
Its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in South Carolina launched production in Jan 2025 with high-quality crystalline bifacial PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact) solar cells, demonstrating the company's ability to deliver reliable, sustainable, domestically produced solutions to meet the demands of the solar energy market.
Driving Market Confidence
This partnership with a top-tier module manufacturer renowned for its innovation and market leadership reinforces ES Foundry's position as a key player in revitalizing American solar manufacturing. This contract reflects the growing market confidence in the company's manufacturing excellence and capacity to deliver at scale.
"Our first customer is proof of the demand for high-efficiency, American-made solar cells that deliver both top-tier performance and unmatched value," said Ken Johnston, VP of Sales, ES Foundry. "With our premium-quality, domestically manufactured solar cells, customers can unlock the domestic content ITC, simplify compliance with IRS Safe Harbor guidance and secure a reliable supply chain solution. Together, we're not just advancing solar manufacturing in the U.S., we're empowering our partners to maximize their project returns and meet the demands of a rapidly expanding market."
Leading the Domestic Manufacturing Resurgence
ES Foundry is committed to the resurgence of domestic solar cell manufacturing, a critical development for the U.S. solar industry. Historically, the U.S. has depended heavily on imported solar cells to meet its growing demand. This reliance has created supply chain vulnerabilities and limited the industry's ability to fully capitalize on domestic opportunities. With the establishment of its facility, which delivers high-quality, U.S.-manufactured solar cells, ES Foundry is changing that dynamic. By helping drive domestic production, the company is reducing dependency on imports, bolstering the U.S. solar supply chain and creating new opportunities for local economic growth.
"Onshoring cell production is crucial for establishing a resilient solar supply chain," said Elissa Pierce, a solar supply chain analyst for Wood Mackenzie. "The U.S. now has over 40 GW of module manufacturing capacity, but the vast majority of these modules are made with cells imported from Southeast Asia and other regions. A stable supply of U.S.-made cells can mitigate the impact of tariff increases and other potential supply chain disruptions on the market."