Red State Revolution Brewing As US Solar Industry Ramps Up

Solar manufacturing is expanding in the US even after last year's federal policy shift cut tax credits and eliminated many clean energy jobs nationwide. Rising electricity demand, driven largely by data centers, is pushing investors to keep funding solar factories, including in states that voted heavily for Trump.

The clearest example is Suniva, a major solar cell manufacturer, which just raised $835 million to more than quadruple its US production capacity to 5.5 gigawatts. Much of that growth is happening at a new facility in South Carolina, expected to be finished in late 2027 and fully running by 2028, adding almost 600 manufacturing jobs. Another company, ES Foundry, opened a 2-gigawatt solar cell factory in South Carolina this July and just signed a research partnership with MIT to improve its manufacturing technology. In New Mexico, solar equipment maker ARRAY Technologies opened a $50 million factory that triples its former size and supports 300 jobs; some of its components qualify for a federal manufacturing tax credit that survived last year's cuts.

None of this changes rebates or incentives available to homeowners directly, but it points to where the solar industry is investing for the long term: red and swing states, not just traditionally blue ones. If you're weighing a home solar installation, it's worth remembering that incentives vary a lot by state, so checking what your own state currently offers is the best way to know what applies to your situation.