SEMA Coalition Celebrates One Year of Historic Progress on Domestic Energy Production

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 16, 2023) - The Solar Energy Manufacturers for America Coalition (SEMA) was founded with the mission of rebuilding the domestic solar supply chain. In the year since the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the private sector has stepped up to meet the moment and expand domestic manufacturing, showing what a strong partnership between the federal government and the private sector can accomplish.

"We are proud to see the remarkable strides made in U.S. solar manufacturing over the last year that are delivering good-paying jobs, lowering costs, and driving the transition to a strong and secure domestic clean energy economy," said SEMA Coalition Executive Director Mike Carr. "As the administration continues to issue guidance and implement this historic legislation, we look forward to working together to finish the job of fully reshoring the manufacturing of the solar supply chain."
In the year since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed, SEMA's members have announced billions of dollars of investments in new solar manufacturing projects across the U.S. with the promise of tens of thousands of good-paying clean energy jobs. In just the past few months, Qcells and Summit Ridge Energy announced the largest community solar deal in U.S. history, First Solar committed to building a $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in Louisiana, and Maxeon announced a massive new solar cell and module manufacturing facility in New Mexico. Heliene is also planning a new manufacturing facility in Minnesota. Meyer Burger and Enel announced plans to construct facilities in Colorado and Oklahoma, respectively. Late last year, Cubic PV announced plans to build the United States' first silicon wafer factory for solar panels.
"Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Caelux is operationalizing our 100MW pilot line for perovskite solar cell manufacturing right here in the Los Angeles metropolitan area," said Caelux CEO Scott Graybeal. "The tax credits IRA unlocked will make renewable energy solutions more accessible and affordable to investors and consumers alike while ensuring that the United States becomes a leader in manufacturing once more. Caelux is proud to be building up a local workforce to bring our clean energy solutions to bear."
"When the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law, it opened the door to domestic clean energy manufacturing," said CubicPV CEO Frank van Mierlo. "The IRA harnesses the massive economic opportunity created by the energy transition. Cubic is playing its part in the strengthening of the US industry that will extend US leadership. Cubic's own investment in bringing silicon wafer production to the US is proof of the law's impact."
"Since its passage, the Inflation Reduction Act has been a catalyst for growth in solar manufacturing, and we are pleased that so many solar manufacturers intend to join us in investing in the United States," said First Solar VP of Global Policy Samantha Sloan. "As a proud American company, we remain focused on creating enduring value for the country by investing in achieving 14 gigawatts of domestic nameplate manufacturing capacity in 2026, supporting over 4,000 direct and thousands more indirect jobs, expanding our industry-leading domestic value chain, and doubling down on innovation. This is essential to allow the US to enter the next decade in a position of strength, powering its energy transition with technology made in America, for America."
"Just months after President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, Qcells responded to the pivot to renewables in the U.S. with a historic and bold decision to build a complete, domestic solar supply chain largely centered in Georgia," said Qcells North America President and Head of Corporate Affairs Danny O'Brien." "The IRA and a welcoming business environment in Georgia made our investments possible. As a result, by the end of 2024, over 4,000 Americans will be employed by Qcells in the U.S., building clean energy that will make communities more resilient, energy more affordable, and the country less dependent on fossil fuels and foreign supply chains."
"Silfab Solar continues to make significant investments into the US solar industry, and we wish to thank the Biden Administration for the ongoing support as we celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act," said Silfab Solar President and CEO Paolo Maccario. "The IRA will further the nation's green energy goals to help America achieve a more sustainable and cost-efficient future. Silfab's expansion in the USA means more jobs for Americans and more domestically designed, engineered, and manufactured solar products for American homeowners and businesses."

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About the SEMA Coalition:
The SEMA Coalition is a group of solar manufacturers united to rebuild the solar supply chain in the United States. Following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the coalition looks to capitalize on this unique opportunity to implement a suite of policies to rebuild a competitive, environmentally friendly, and socially-responsible U.S. solar supply chain. Together, the manufacturers within this coalition represent more than 6,100 workers in the United States.
SEMA members include 3SUN USA, ASMC, Caelux, Corning, CubicPV, First Solar, Heliene, Hemlock Semiconductor, Maxeon, Meyer Burger, Qcells, REC, REC Silicon, Silfab Solar, Suniva, and Wacker.
For more information about the SEMA Coalition, please visit our website.