U.S.-based solar module manufacturer First Solar has inaugurated a new module manufacturing facility in Iberia Parish, Louisiana. The vertically integrated facility is expected to add 3.5 GW of annual nameplate capacity once fully ramped.

The facility will increase First Solar America’s manufacturing portfolio to 14 GW in 2026. This portfolio is expected to increase to 17.7 GW in 2027, after a recently announced South Carolina facility reaches full capacity.

The South Carolina facility will be in Gaffney, with an investment of approximately $330 million. The company aims to utilize this facility to onshore the final production process for its Series 6 Plus modules.

First Solar said the Iberia Parish facility began production ahead of schedule in July 2025. It added that the accelerated timeline was driven by the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill this year. This catalyzed demand for U.S.-made solar components that are fully compliant with the Foreign Entities of Concern guidelines.

The company said the Iberia Parish facility is not dependent on Chinese crystalline silicon supply chains. Its Series 7 modules are produced using materials from the U.S., including glass from Illinois and Ohio, and steel produced in Mississippi, which is then fabricated into backrails in Louisiana.

First Solar stated that the Iberia Parish facility is AI-enabled, using computer vision and deep learning to detect solar panel defects during production. Additionally, the technicians and operators leverage AI-powered tools to make operating adjustments and guide decision-making.

The company has three fully vertically integrated manufacturing facilities in Ohio and one in Alabama. It also has research and development (R&D) centers in Ohio and California. First Solar said it will have invested roughly $4.5 billion in U.S. manufacturing and R&D infrastructure since 2019. It expects its global nameplate capacity to grow to about 25 GW by 2026.

First Solar’s revenue rose 79.6% year-over-year to $1.59 billion in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025 from $887.67 million.

It delivered 5.3 GW of modules in Q3 2025. The company’s expected contracted backlog stands at 54.5 GW through 2030. It manufactured 3.6 GW of modules during the quarter, with 2.5 GW coming from its U.S. facilities and 1.1 GW from its international facilities.