TOYO has unveiled plans to establish a 1.5 GW heterojunction (HJT) solar cell manufacturing facility in the Houston area of Texas. Representing a $357 million investment, the project is slated for completion within 20 months and is expected to generate approximately 400 direct jobs. By co-locating this new cell production with its existing module plant, the company aims to streamline logistics and enhance operational efficiency. This expansion is a strategic move to build an integrated, domestic solar supply chain, while positioning the company to leverage federal manufacturing incentives and bolster its presence in the US utility-scale market.
The decision to focus on HJT technology is central to the company’s long-term roadmap. According to Chief Strategy Officer Rhone Resch, HJT serves as an ideal platform for the future integration of perovskite solar cells, which are anticipated to significantly boost conversion efficiency. This approach differentiates the company from competitors currently prioritizing PERC or TOPCon technologies. By manufacturing these advanced cells domestically, the firm intends to create a secure, reliable supply chain that is compliant with Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) requirements, further strengthening its position within the American renewable energy sector.
This investment follows the company’s existing 1 GW module plant, which is already scheduled for an expansion to 2 GW by 2026. Chairman and CEO Takahiko Onozuka described the move as a natural progression toward achieving a fully integrated onshore supply chain, spanning from polysilicon to finished panels. The announcement arrives amid ongoing scrutiny, as the company faces an antidumping and countervailing duty complaint from a coalition of US solar manufacturers. The coalition alleges that the company has utilized China-linked wafers to bypass trade duties, a claim that underscores the importance of this new domestic manufacturing hub for the firm’s future.