US solar cell manufacturer ES Foundry is joining a research initiative led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) focused on strengthening US manufacturing.
The crystalline silicon cell producer has committed US$1.5 million to MIT’s Initiative for New Manufacturing, a programme launched in 2025 to investigate technologies and processes for enhancing US-based manufacturing.
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ES Foundry is one of the new generation of PV cell manufacturers emerging in the US as the country undergoes a rapid scale-up in its domestic solar supply chain. The company, which specialises in passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) technology, recently completed a 2GW expansion of its facility in Greenwood, South Carolina, taking its total annual cell production capacity to 3GW.
CEO, Alex Zhu, explained the company’s rationale for joining the MIT initiative: “We have made a significant investment in bringing solar cell manufacturing back to the United States. This commitment to MIT’s Initiative for New Manufacturing is an investment in making that manufacturing stronger.
“We are operating at commercial scale every day, which gives us a very practical view of where technology, automation and workforce development can make a difference. Working with MIT gives us an opportunity to research solutions to manufacturing challenges and develop new ideas and approaches.”
ES Foundry said its commitment to MIT would support the initiative’s work to address challenges facing modern manufacturers. ES Foundry will work with MIT faculty, researchers and students, and manufacturers from other industries on topics including artificial intelligence (AI) on the factory floor, automated systems, cybersecurity, digital twins, continuous innovation and workforce development.
In particular, ES Foundry said its collaboration with MIT would accelerate its research into how AI-driven efficiencies and advanced operating models can be harnessed to ensure its US manufacturing operation remains globally competitive.
“Manufacturing challenges become very real when you are running a factory 24 hours a day,” said Lionel Moss, general manager of operations at ES Foundry. “You are constantly looking at how to improve yield, productivity, equipment performance, processes and workforce capabilities. We have a lot to learn from the work happening at MIT, but we also have experiences from Greenwood that can contribute to that work. That exchange is what makes this collaboration valuable.”
Read more about ES Foundry’s future plans in PV Tech’s recent interview with CEO Alex Zhu.
The competitiveness of the US solar supply chain will be under discussion at our annual PV CellTech conference on 13-14 October in San Francisco. For details and booking, click here.
