Hanwha Qcells completes 'Solar Hub,' to begin mass-producing US-made cell modules in July

Hanwha Solutions' Qcells division announced Wednesday that it has completed the cell production line at its factory in Cartersville, Georgia, and will begin mass production in July. The company spent through May inspecting utility infrastructure and manufacturing equipment before starting a trial run in recent weeks.

With the cell line now finished, Hanwha Qcells has completed the final key process in its vertical integration, adding to the ingot, wafer and module lines already in operation. The Solar Hub is the only production facility in the United States to vertically integrate the major value chain of solar cell manufacturing. The company's US production capacity now stands at 3.3 gigawatts each for ingots, wafers and cells, and 8.6 GW for modules — the largest among solar manufacturers producing silicon-based modules in North America.

As planned, the company will begin full-scale mass production of US-made modules using cells manufactured at the Cartersville factory next month. Completing the Solar Hub positions Hanwha Qcells to maximize the policy benefits that come with building a domestic solar manufacturing value chain.

The company will now receive additional Advanced Manufacturing Production Credits under the US Inflation Reduction Act for the cells and wafers it produces at Cartersville. As it upgrades its production lines and manufactures higher-efficiency products each year, the credits are expected to grow consistently. Hanwha Qcells projects it will receive $675 million (about 1 trillion won) in AMPC payments this year. Once all production lines at the Cartersville factory reach full operation in 2027, that figure is forecast to rise to $879 million, then $929 million in 2028 and approximately $1.1 billion in 2029.

In addition, running the full Solar Hub value chain raises the share of US-made components in its products, which analysts say will allow the company to capture a premium in a market that favors domestically produced goods. Under the IRA's Investment Tax Credit, power project developers who meet the domestic content bonus requirements receive an additional tax credit equal to 10 percent of total investment.

Whether a module uses US-made cells is considered a key factor in meeting those requirements. Hanwha Qcells said modules incorporating ingots, wafers and cells produced at the Cartersville factory command strong customer preference, which it expects to translate into a sales price premium.

Meanwhile, according to global market research firm Wood Mackenzie, Hanwha Qcells held a 38.5 percent share of the US residential module market in 2025, ranking first for eight consecutive years, and a 15.5 percent share of the commercial module market, ranking first for seven consecutive years.

"Completing the US Solar Hub is a milestone that reflects the fruition of our technological and business capabilities, and it is meaningful in that we have established a forward base for our leap toward becoming a comprehensive renewable energy company," said Park Seung-deok, chief executive of Hanwha Qcells. "We will achieve full-scale growth and improved profitability, and rise to lead the global renewable energy market."