Silicon solar cell manufacturer ES Foundry announced a multi-year agreement to supply 300 MW of U.S.-made solar cells to Bila Solar, a domestic solar module manufacturer.
The solar cells will be made in Greenwood, South Carolina. This strategic partnership between ES Foundry and Bila Solar highlights the growing demand for domestically produced solar technology and the ongoing shift toward onshoring critical manufacturing.
“This agreement with Bila Solar underscores the increasing market confidence in American-made solar cells,” said Ken Johnston, Vice President of Sales at ES Foundry. “By partnering with a forward-thinking module manufacturer like Bila Solar, we’re expanding access to high-efficiency solar products and driving domestic manufacturing growth. This reduces reliance on imports and reinforces the U.S. as a global leader in clean energy manufacturing.”
ES Foundry’s solar cell manufacturing facility in South Carolina began production in early 2025, delivering high-efficiency monocrystalline bifacial PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact) solar cells. Solar Power World toured the site in late January — read about it here.
Bila Solar is a new solar panel manufacturer based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company recently completed retrofitting a former Eli Lilly factory, and its patented ultra-lightweight solar panels are already in production. In addition, the company announced in January that it would expand its product lines to include conventional 550-W glass and aluminum frame modules, which incorporate domestically produced solar cells.
These modules can help solar developers access the ITC’s 10% domestic content bonus credit, particularly on ground-mount projects such as fixed-tilt and carport solar applications. Production of Bila Solar’s new line of domestic cell modules will start in May.
Both companies will exhibit at the upcoming Intersolar North America & Energy Storage North America conference, February 25 to 27, at the San Diego Convention Center.
“With 100% of our products manufactured in Indianapolis, Bila Solar is committed to delivering high-performance, domestically sourced solar modules,” said Mick McDaniel, general manager at Bila Solar. “Ever since the U.S. Treasury published its Safe Harbor guidelines regarding the 10% domestic content bonus credit, we’ve seen greater interest in a U.S.-produced module that incorporates a U.S.-made solar cell. Bila Solar is excited to be one of the first companies to offer this product into the marketplace.”
News item from ES Foundry
“…since the U.S. Treasury published its Safe Harbor guidelines regarding the 10% domestic content bonus credit, we’ve seen greater interest in a U.S.-produced module that incorporates a U.S.-made solar cell. Bila Solar is excited to be one of the first companies to offer this product into the marketplace.”
There’s the ‘thing’, Bila is “first” but Chinese companies like Longi, Jinko and Trina Solar have been developing manufacturing in the U.S. for some years now. The combined output of these plants could dry up the wafers from ES foundry for Bila to use on the established Chinese manufacturing lines in the U.S. and Bila could be a footnote in U.S. solar PV manufacturing history. Just sayin’, for every engineered solution, there are pros and cons. In the economies of scale ‘race’, Longi, Trina, Jinko solar have a leg up on the competition and demand for an in country supply chain, far beyond what Bila can support.