ES Foundry signs 150MW cell supply deal for US community solar

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
An ES Foundry facility.
ES Foundry began cell production at its South Carolina facility in January of this year. Image: ES Foundry.

South Carolina-based cell manufacturer ES Foundry has signed a 150MW cell supply deal with what it calls a “leading national community solar developer” in the US.

The agreement, which will last for three years, will see ES Foundry supply cells to an unnamed module manufacturer, which will use them in modules to be delivered to the community solar developer.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

“With this agreement, our customer is setting an example for other solar developers to proactively solidify their domestic supply chain strategies,” said ES Foundry VP of sales Ken Johnston. “Developers need certainty, and our commitment is to provide them with a steady supply of high-quality solar cells so they can complete their projects on time and at scale.”

The news follows ES Foundry’s commissioning of a cell manufacturing facility in its home state earlier this year, and the signing of a supply deal with module producer Bila Solar. While many of the world’s cell producers are transitioning to tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) cells, ES Foundry has committed to the production of passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) cells, and CEO Alex Zhu explained the rationale behind this decision to PV Tech Premium earlier this year.

ES Foundry’s work is part of a years-long push to expand clean energy manufacturing in the US, to reduce reliance on imported materials from overseas, particularly China. While new US module manufacturing capacity has accounted for much of this trend – US PV manufacturing capacity has increased fourfold since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) – US cell manufacturing capacity has not grown at such speed.

Last year, PV Tech head of research Finlay Colville said meaningful new cell manufacturing capacity would be a “pivotal moment” in the US solar sector, and the US started silicon cell production in the third quarter of 2024 for the first time since 2019.

This is also not the only development in the community solar sector. This week, Catalyze announced the receipt of US$85 million in financing to support the development of new community solar projects in the US.

PV Tech publisher Solar Media will be organising the fourth edition of Large Scale Solar USA in Dallas, Texas 29-30 April. After a record year for solar PV additions in the US, the event will dive into the ongoing uncertainties on tariffs, tax credits and trade policies as more domestic manufacturing becomes operational. Other challenges, such as the interconnection queues and permitting, will also be covered in Dallas. More information, including how to attend, can be read here.

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.
21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.
16 June 2026
Napa, USA
PV Tech has been running PV ModuleTech Conferences since 2017. PV ModuleTech USA, on 16-17 June 2026, will be our fifth PV ModulelTech conference dedicated to the U.S. utility scale solar sector. The event will gather the key stakeholders from solar developers, solar asset owners and investors, PV manufacturing, policy-making and and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out the PV module supply channels to the U.S. out to 2027 and beyond.

Read Next

August 29, 2025
US-based climate insurance provider kWh Analytics has launched a new renewable energy insurance cover for extreme weather events.
August 29, 2025
US grid interconnection agreements grew by 33% in 2024, reaching 75GW, with three-quarters signed for solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects, according to a new report from energy market analyst Wood Mackenzie.
Premium
August 29, 2025
PV Tech Premium hears from Renewable Properties and Silicon Ranch about the new 'start of construction' rules for US solar projects.
August 28, 2025
Bahraini, Chinese, Egyptian and Emirati groups have agreed to develop a new solar and storage manufacturing facility in Egypt
Premium
August 28, 2025
US solar companies could potentially pay “tens of billions” of dollars in retroactive duties on products imported from Southeast Asia between June 2022 and June 2024, following a decision from the US Court of International Trade (CIT).
August 28, 2025
Boviet Solar has completed exterior construction work on its 3GW PV cell manufacturing facility in Greenville, Pitt County, North Carolina. 

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines