Canadian Solar Opens 6 GW HJT Solar Cell Factory in Indiana
Published · 3 min read
Canadian Solar subsidiary CS PowerTech opened the first phase of a solar cell manufacturing facility in Jeffersonville, Indiana, on July 24, adding a new source of domestic production for a component that many U.S. module factories still obtain from overseas.
The company says the facility will be capable of producing more than 6 gigawatts of solar cells annually when fully operational. The nearly $1 billion project is expected to support more than 1,200 manufacturing, engineering, and technical jobs, although those capacity and employment figures remain company projections tied to the plant’s full ramp-up.
A new link in the domestic solar supply chain
The factory is located at the River Ridge Commerce Center and is designed to manufacture heterojunction, or HJT, bifacial N-type solar cells. CS PowerTech described it as the first U.S. photovoltaic cell facility designed specifically around that technology in its July 24 company announcement.
Solar cells are the electricity-producing components assembled inside finished solar modules. The United States has added substantial module assembly capacity in recent years, but domestic cell manufacturing has expanded more slowly, leaving many factories reliant on imported cells.
Reuters reported that the Indiana plant is expected to help reduce that dependence. Canadian Solar will still use some imported materials and components, according to the company’s chief executive, but producing cells domestically gives the manufacturer greater control over a critical stage of its supply chain.
Production will support a Texas module factory
Cells manufactured in Jeffersonville are expected to supply CS PowerTech’s solar module plant in Mesquite, Texas. Canadian Solar is expanding the Texas facility toward 10 GW of annual module capacity, creating a more closely integrated U.S. production network between the two plants.
The arrangement is important because new module assembly lines do not, by themselves, establish a fully domestic supply chain. A module manufacturer must also secure cells, wafers, polysilicon, glass, frames, inverters, and other components. The Jeffersonville investment addresses the cell stage rather than the entire chain.
According to pv magazine USA, production from the first phase is expected to increase over the coming months. The company also plans to begin work on a second phase before the end of 2026.
Why HJT technology matters
HJT cells combine layers of crystalline silicon with thin-film materials to reduce electrical losses and improve performance. Manufacturers are pursuing the technology as they compete to produce modules with higher output and better energy yield from a limited surface area.
Canadian Solar says the Indiana factory’s bifacial cells will be capable of collecting sunlight from both their front and rear surfaces when installed in compatible modules. The practical performance of finished products will depend on module design, project layout, ground conditions, climate, and other operating factors.
The opening also reflects how federal tax incentives and import restrictions are influencing manufacturing decisions. Canadian Solar told Reuters that both U.S. manufacturing incentives and tariffs on imported solar products contributed to the financial case for the Indiana investment.
What remains uncertain
The factory has opened, but its long-term effect will depend on how quickly production reaches commercial scale. The company has not yet released independently verified output data from the new lines.
The projected 6 GW capacity represents the plant’s expected annual production at full operation, not its current output. The timing of the second phase, the pace of hiring, product qualification, customer demand, and the plant’s sustained utilization rate will determine how much domestic supply it ultimately provides.
What happens next
CS PowerTech is expected to continue commissioning production equipment and increasing first-phase output during the coming months. Progress at the Mesquite module factory will also be important because it is intended to be the primary destination for cells made in Indiana.
For the wider U.S. market, the next measure will be whether domestic cell capacity grows quickly enough to support the large amount of module assembly capacity already operating or under development. Additional investments farther upstream would be required to reduce reliance on imported wafers, polysilicon, and other materials.
Jonas Muthoni is Editor-in-Chief of Microgrid Media, where he oversees reporting and analysis on microgrids, energy storage, distributed energy resources, data center power demand, grid modernization, resilience, renewable energy, and electricity policy and markets. His work focuses on the infrastructure, technologies, and regulatory developments reshaping the power system.
As Editor-in-Chief, Jonas leads Microgrid Media’s editorial strategy and standards, including story selection, source verification, technical accuracy, and the development of original reporting and analysis. His coverage draws on regulatory filings, government records, utility and company disclosures, technical documentation, and independent industry sources to explain significant developments across the evolving energy system.
