ES Foundry has already lined up a major three-year supply agreement for 150MW. This agreement is the first of its kind in the United States for a national community solar developer. This partnership is an important step forward for both agencies. Together, they will address the mounting challenges facing America’s solar industry, including the strain on the supply chain. The settlement requires that ES Foundry provide its domestically manufactured solar cells. These cells will be incorporated into the developer’s upcoming BNEF Tier 1 solar modules.
ES Foundry also recently debuted a giant new solar cell manufacturing plant in Greenwood, South Carolina. This remarkable facility spans more than 400,000 square feet. By June 2025, the plant is expected to have a workforce of approximately 500 employees. This proves its deep dedication to increasing local hire and fueling economic development. Part of the facility’s aim is to provide a consistent and low-cost source of high-quality crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar cells. This strategy has already established ES Foundry as a leading producer within the US market.
The new agreement will help power the developer’s growing pipeline of solar projects across the country. It also allows the project developer to receive the domestic content investment tax credit (ITC). This puts even more impetus on installers to use American-made solar technology. Solar energy played an incredible role, accounting for 66% of all new electric generating capacity added to the grid in 2024. This unprecedented increase underscores our nation’s increasing reliance on this clean renewable energy resource.
Ken Johnston, ES Foundry’s Vice President of Sales, emphasized that this agreement is significant for strengthening domestic supply chains.
“With this agreement, our customer is setting an example for other solar developers to proactively solidify their domestic supply chain strategies. 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.” – Ken Johnston, ES Foundry VP of Sales
This collaboration between ES Foundry and the community solar developer addresses short-term supply chain concerns. It further underscores a burgeoning industry trend to ensure domestic production capacity. Developers are focusing more on building out robust supply chains. Pact’s commitment to advance the goals of this agreement that include increasing the resilience of their operations can serve to motivate others to do the same.