T1, Corning and Corning to produce solar panels in the USA

T1 Energy, a U.S.-based solar company, and Corning, a specialty glass manufacturer, have announced a deal to create a domestic supply chain for solar panels, including polysilicon and wafers. This deal will allow T1 to meet the growing demand in the United States for panels made with American components. Solar companies are restricted from claiming clean energy tax credits under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act if their projects include significant amounts of equipment made by "foreign entity of concern" such as China.

In a press release, T1 CEO Daniel Barcelo stated that "this landmark supply chain deal with Corning will invigorate America by providing scalable, reliable and low-cost energy." This is American companies protecting American energy security and building in America.

Corning has agreed to supply solar wafers to T1 from its Michigan facility beginning in the second half 2026. Wafers are silicon wafers that form the basis of solar cells. They convert sunlight into electricity.

China dominates the global manufacturing of solar wafers. Trump has criticised the solar industry as being too dependent on Chinese supply chains.

The contract is an extension of an existing supply agreement for solar-grade Polysilicon, which is the raw material used in the industry. The companies said that T1 would use wafers produced by Corning's subsidiary Hemlock Semiconductor at a cell facility in Austin, Texas. These cells will then be assembled into panels in T1's existing plant near Dallas.

They said that the combined workforce of both companies will be around 6,000 in Michigan and Texas. Corning struck a similar agreement with Suniva and Heliene manufacturers earlier this year. (Reporting and editing by Nia William; Nichola Groom)

(source: Reuters)