OMCO Solar opens US manufacturing facility, signs module backrail supply deal with First Solar

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
OMCO Solar’s First Solar backrails at RE+ 2023. Image: OMCO Solar.

US solar equipment manufacturer OMCO Solar has opened its sixth manufacturing facility in the US, and will begin work on providing backrails for First Solar’s new Series 7 modules.

OMCO’s new facility is in the southern state of Alabama, and the company has invested US$10 million into the new manufacturing hub. The start of commercial production has increased the company’s production capacity to 10GW across its US facilities, and expansion of the US solar manufacturing sector will be vital to meet the country’s long-term clean energy goals.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

According to a report from BloombergNEF, the US plans to deploy 358GW of new solar capacity between 2023 and 2030. But the National Renewable Energy Laboratory said the US produced just 5GW of solar panels domestically in 2022. While the majority of these planned solar installations are still likely to come from China, the US is keen to reduce its reliance on solar components produced in China, and the construction and commissioning of new manufacturing facilities on US soil will be vital to this end.

“The First Solar agreement, and our newest facility in Alabama, demonstrate our commitment to bolster domestic manufacturing, create US jobs, and provide factory-direct solutions that solve the complexity of utility-scale solar projects,” said OMCO CEO Gary Schuster.

“Our legacy of using only domestically produced steel further underscores our dedication to driving growth at home, as well as our commitment to build domestic supply chains that support our nation’s energy security.”

The news is First Solar’s latest investment into manufacturing for its Series 7 modules, following its commitment of US$1.1 billion to a new module production facility in Texas. The company expects to produce 3.5GW of modules per year at the new facility, upon its opening in 2026, and the is the latest positive development in the US solar manufacturing sector.

OMCO announced the commissioning of the new facility, and its work with First Solar, at the RE+ conference in Las Vegas this week, at which the company is in attendance. This is not the first time First Solar has struck a supply deal during the event, with the company expanding a module supply deal with Longroad Energy earlier this week, as it looks to solidify its US-based supply chain.

“Ever since we made the strategic decision to build a domestic value chain in 2019, we have built a supply ecosystem that demonstrates that it is possible to manufacture a solar module in America, for America, with domestically sourced materials including glass and steel,” said Mike Koralewski, First Solar chief supply chain officer.

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

Premium
October 6, 2025
Talon PV aims to be the first US company to safely manufacture TOPCon cells at scale, backed by European technology and a crucial First Solar licensing deal.
October 6, 2025
US utility AES Corporation is reportedly in discussions to be acquired by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a subsidiary of global asset owning giant BlackRock.
October 3, 2025
Renewables developer Madison Energy Infrastructure has bought the US distributed generation assets of NextEra Energy Resources.
October 3, 2025
EDF Renewables and Enlight Renewable Energy have advanced solar-plus-storage projects in New Mexico and Arizona.
October 3, 2025
SunStrong Management has raised US$900 million to refinance a 'large portfolio' of residential solar assets developed by SunPower.
October 3, 2025
The US solar manufacturing industry is feeling bullish, despite the policy whiplash inflicted over the summer and the increased pressure on US solar supply chains.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland