U.S. solar manufacturing gains momentum
The U.S. solar manufacturing, supply chain and overall industry saw major gains in 2025. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the U.S. can now produce “every major component of the solar supply chain” with growth across multiple categories, including a 300% increase in solar cells and a 37% increase in solar module production, bumping capacity beyond 60 gigawatts, between the end of 2024 and late 2025. However, the solar market presents uncertainty for 2026. The crosswinds of sunsetting tax credits, increased eligibility thresholds and tariffs create a difficult environment for business decisions.
“You’ve seen pretty distinct growth and investment, particularly on the module side,” said Scott Moskowitz, vice president of market strategy and public affairs at manufacturer Qcells. “You’ve seen more of it on the cell manufacturing side in the last five years, thanks to tax credits. But we still have a long way to go as an industry in terms of reshoring the rest of that sector.”
