T1 Energy Expands U.S. Solar Leadership With 5GW Texas Gigafactory Creating 1,800 Advanced Manufacturing Jobs
Mar 19, 2025
Strategic Expansion in Texas
U.S. solar innovator T1 Energy (formerly FREYR) has selected Milam County, Texas, for its landmark $850 million photovoltaic gigafactory, marking a critical step in reshoring America's solar supply chain. The 5GW-capacity facility, branded "G2 Austin," will occupy 100 acres at the Sandow Lakes Advanced Manufacturing & Logistics Park northeast of Austin, complementing the company's existing "G1 Dallas" assembly plant in Wilmer.
Key Project Highlights
$850M Investment: Largest solar manufacturing commitment in Central Texas
1,800 High-Skill Jobs: Advanced manufacturing roles with robotics integration
Dual Technology Lines: PERC and TOPCon module production for utility-scale markets
Supply Chain Verticalization: Onshoring wafer-to-panel manufacturing by 2026
Operational Milestones
T1 has accelerated its Dallas assembly plant ramp-up, producing 220MW of TrinaSolar-licensed panels in Q1 2025. With four fully automated production lines now operational, the company projects 3.4GW annualized output by December 2025 – enough to power 650,000 U.S. homes annually.
CEO Daniel Barcelo emphasized Texas' strategic value: "Our G2 Austin cell plant establishes the missing link in domestic solar manufacturing. Texas' business ecosystem and skilled workforce enable us to compete globally while creating American energy jobs."
