First Solar’s Fifth US Manufacturing Facility Creates Over 800 Jobs
Facility Expected to Boost Iberia Parish’s GDP by 4.4% in First Full Year of Operations
Company Anticipates Nearly 18 GW of Domestic Production Capacity by 2027
First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) officially opened its new fully vertically integrated manufacturing facility in Iberia Parish, Louisiana. The $1.1 billion facility, covering approximately 2.4 million square feet, roughly 11 times the size of the New Orleans Superdome, currently employs over 700 people, with plans to reach 826 employees by year-end. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to add 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of annual nameplate capacity, bringing First Solar’s total U.S. manufacturing capacity to 14 GW in 2026 and 17.7 GW in 2027, when its recently announced South Carolina facility is projected to be fully operational.
The Iberia Parish facility began production in July 2025, several months ahead of schedule. This accelerated timeline was driven by the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Trump administration’s trade policies, both of which spurred demand for American made solar technology fully compliant with anticipated Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC) guidelines. The facility, which is independent of Chinese crystalline silicon supply chains, produces First Solar’s Series 7 modules using American materials, including glass from Illinois and Ohio and steel manufactured in Mississippi and fabricated into backrails in Louisiana.
“First Solar’s investment is already delivering real results for Iberia Parish and the surrounding region, creating hundreds of well-paying jobs and new opportunities for Louisiana workers and businesses,” said Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. “This is exactly how we advance President Trump’s agenda of American energy dominance. Louisiana has always powered this country, and with projects like this, we’re strengthening our workforce and securing an all of the above energy future that drives growth and prosperity.”
An economic impact analysis conducted by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and commissioned by the Iberia Economic Development Authority (IEDA) forecasts that the facility will increase Iberia Parish’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 4.4% in its first full year of operations at capacity. Manufacturing roles at the facility offer an average compensation package of $90,000 annually, more than three times the per capita income in Iberia Parish.
“This is more than just a manufacturing facility. It’s a commitment to American energy dominance, affordable electricity, growth, and prosperity,” said Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar. “By competitively producing energy technology in America with American materials, while creating American jobs, we’re demonstrating that U.S. reindustrialization isn’t just a thesis it’s an operating reality.”
The high tech factory utilizes artificial intelligence (AI), employing computer vision and deep learning to automatically detect defects in solar panels during production. Technicians and operators also leverage AI powered tools to make operational adjustments and guide decision making.
“This is, beyond doubt, one of the most advanced solar manufacturing facilities in the world, representing the very best of American manufacturing innovation,” said Kuntal Kumar Verma, Chief Manufacturing Officer at First Solar. “Alongside its sister facilities in Ohio and Alabama, this factory demonstrates how AI can be harnessed to help American factory workers reach their full potential. Our fleet offers proof that AI can drive productivity gains, enabling us to out innovate the competition and operate smarter, better, and faster.”
The Louisiana facility is part of First Solar’s extensive solar technology manufacturing and research and development (R&D) footprint in the Western Hemisphere, which includes three fully vertically integrated manufacturing facilities in Ohio, one in Alabama, and R&D centers in Ohio and California. Last week, the company announced an investment in a new production line in Gaffney, South Carolina, to onshore final production processes for Series 6 modules initiated by its international fleet. By the end of 2026, First Solar expects to directly employ over 5,500 people in the U.S., having invested approximately $4.5 billion in American manufacturing and R&D infrastructure since 2019.
First Solar, which has been manufacturing in the U.S. since 2002, is the country’s leading PV solar technology and manufacturing company and the only one of the world’s largest solar manufacturers headquartered in the U.S. By 2027, the company anticipates supporting over 30,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs nationwide, representing more than $3 billion in labor income.
Source: First Solar
