First Solar Opens USD 1.1 Billion AI-Enabled Manufacturing Hub in Louisiana

First Solar has opened its new fully vertically integrated manufacturing facility in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, marking its fifth operating plant in the United States.

The USD 1.1 billion factory spans 2.4 million square feet, roughly 11 times the size of the New Orleans Superdome, and is projected to create more than 800 manufacturing jobs.

The facility began production ahead of schedule in July 2025 and is expected to add 3.5 GW of annual nameplate capacity once fully ramped, taking First Solar’s US manufacturing footprint to 14 GW in 2026 and nearly 18 GW in 2027. The plant uses American-made materials and operates without relying on Chinese crystalline silicon supply chains, producing Series 7 modules with glass sourced from Illinois and Ohio and steel manufactured in Mississippi.

State officials expect the project to significantly boost the regional economy. An analysis by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette forecasts a 4.4 percent increase in Iberia Parish’s GDP during the facility’s first full year at capacity. Manufacturing roles will offer average compensation of USD 90,000 per year, more than triple the local per capita income.

Enabled by artificial intelligence, the high-tech plant uses computer vision and deep learning to detect defects during production, while AI systems assist technicians in real-time operational adjustments. Company executives say this approach strengthens American manufacturing competitiveness.

The Louisiana plant joins First Solar’s expanding US footprint, which includes three factories in Ohio, one in Alabama, and R&D centers in Ohio and California. The company recently announced a new production line in Gaffney, South Carolina, as part of its plan to reach 17.7 GW of domestic capacity by 2027. First Solar expects to directly employ over 5,500 people in the US  by the end of 2026 and support more than 30,000 total jobs nationwide.