First Solar opens 1.7 GW solar module plant in Gaffney, South Carolina

First Solar has opened its solar module facility in Gaffney, South Carolina, inaugurating the first phase of production at a plant slated to reach 3.4 GW. The company plans to use the site to onshore the final production processes for Series 6 Plus thin-film modules initiated at its international facilities, and says the investment was driven by rising domestic demand for US-made energy equipment following recent federal trade policies and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law in July 2025.