Mission Solar Energy, one of the longest running solar panel manufacturers in the United States, will soon also be making solar cells, after its parent company OCI Holdings announced new manufacturing plans.
OCI TerraSus polysilicon processing
OCI will invest $265 million into the site, which should begin commercial production in 2026. The factory will have an annual capacity of 1 GW with room to grow to 2 GW. OCI will supply the polysilicon from its Malaysia subsidiary OCI TerraSus. No official details were released on the wafer manufacturer.
“The establishment of this new solar cell subsidiary marks the start of U.S.-produced solar cells made with OCI TerraSus’ polysilicon within a clean supply chain. This cost-efficient and expedited project will be the foundation for further strengthening our solar value chain in the U.S.,” said Lee Woo-hyun, Chairman of OCI Holdings.
OCI Holdings had stated in its 2024 financial results that it was considering entering a joint venture to build out an American solar supply chain, but President Trump’s accelerated tariff policies pushed OCI to establish a new subsidiary to strengthen its competitiveness in the U.S. market.
The only other details about the cell manufacturing outfit is that it will be “at Mission Solar Energy,” which currently has a factory in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar has a panel manufacturing capacity of about 500 MW annually, according to OCI. The company intended to increase its capacity to 1 GW annually, but it appears those expansion plans were put on hold. Instead, a 200,000-ft2 warehouse was built on the property, and it appears the space will now house cell and module production.
“As our nation experiences a resurgence in American manufacturing, we are expanding our capabilities to deliver fully domestic solar solutions,” said Sam Martens, President of Mission Solar Energy. “Bringing solar cell production to our facility underscores our commitment to U.S. manufacturing, job creation, and a transparent, ethical supply chain.”
Mission Solar has mostly supplied panels to the residential market in the United States but began making large-format bifacial modules last summer.
