Qcells Starts Solar Cell Production at Largest US Factory

Qcells announced the start of solar cell production at its facility in Cartersville, Georgia. The site already manufactures solar modules and is being developed into a fully vertically integrated operation.

Qcells adds significant US capacity with full vertical integration. "Qcells’ Cartersville facility will add 3.3 GW of vertically integrated ingot, wafer, cell, and 3.5 GW of module capacity when fully operational," the company stated. Its overall American production is projected to reach 8.6 GW by the end of Q3 2026, approximately the energy needed to power roughly 1.3 million American homes for a year.

This location stands as the first and only factory across the country capable of making ingot, wafer, cell, and module elements of a solar PV system all in one place. The arrangement enables Qcells to secure tax credits on individual components as well as complete assemblies.

Domestic content benefits drive customer demand. Buyers partnering with Qcells stand to gain from a streamlined route toward the domestic content tax credit along with improved reliability in project supply chains. The incentive delivers a 10% domestic content bonus under the Investment Tax Credit.

Producing the primary elements inside the United States lets clients move forward on eligible initiatives with stronger assurance around costs, availability, and origins. As interest in completely American-made solar gear rises, the firm anticipates robust demand for output from the Cartersville site.

Production ramps quickly toward full scale. Modules have already reached maximum output levels, yielding 16,700 solar PV units daily. Full cell manufacturing, scheduled for this fall, will establish the plant as the largest solar cell production facility in the history of the United States.

The complex will likewise rank as the nation's biggest site for ingot and wafer output. By Q3 2026, annual figures at the factory are expected to hit 3.3 GW for ingots, wafers and cells plus 3.5 GW for modules.

Georgia operations expand with thousands of new jobs. When combined with the Dalton factory — whose module capacity tripled to 5.1 GW in late 2023 — statewide module capability will total 8.6 GW per year, equivalent to 47,000 panels daily. The Cartersville project is delivering thousands of skilled manufacturing positions to Northwest Georgia.

Across both locations, Qcells anticipates nearly 4,000 employees in the state, including an estimated 3,800 direct roles spanning Bartow and Whitfield Counties. The solar power industry continues to expand in the United States.