By Q2 2026, U.S. factories had cumulatively produced 100 gigawatts-peak direct-current (GWp) of solar PV modules, according to PV Magazine USA. The factory-by-factory tally counts actual output, not announced projects or projected capacity.
The tally draws on factory records spanning more than five decades. The first 100 GW took about half a century to produce; output has accelerated since the Inflation Reduction Act became law in 2022, and the article says the next 100 GW could come in three years.
Policy helped drive the expansion: Section 201 safeguards supported a revival in some crystalline-silicon module manufacturing in the late 2010s, and the Inflation Reduction Act’s Section 45X production credit further boosted domestic manufacturing economics. First Solar accounted for roughly 39% of U.S. module production through Q2 2026, according to company-level records. More domestic output could reduce reliance on imports, but does not guarantee cheaper panels; building a lasting supply chain for cells, wafers and upstream materials remains an open question.
