US President Donald Trump’s crusade against wind turbines continues, but his efforts to stop solar power have fallen flat. A case in point is the US manufacturer SEG Solar. Despite the sharp U-turn in federal energy policy, SEG has just announced the addition of a new 4-gigawatt solar module factory to its US portfolio. More Solar Power For The USA As for who’s going to put all those new solar modules to work, that’s a good question. In addition to orders from the White House aimed at throttling down the domestic solar industry, some states and local governments have established, or are considering, new restrictions on wind and/or solar development. However, there are ample opportunities in other states where renewable energy is supported. Blue states like California, Illinois, and New York come to mind, but the appeal is bipartisan, with Florida and Texas vying against California for the #1 slot in installed solar capacity in a state-by-state ranking. Texas is a particularly interesting case because capacity additions are just part of the state’s solar power picture. Solar manufacturers have also been rushing into Texas, despite the anti-renewables efforts undertaken by Republican lawmakers in the state. SEG Solar Adds 4 More Gigawatts SEG surfaced on the CleanTechnica radar in 2024, when it announced the opening of a new $60 million, 2-gigawatt factory in Houston, earmarked for fabricating the company’s Yukon N-type solar modules. “With the opening of the Houston plant, customers will benefit from faster delivery times and enhanced after-sales service, while the convenient location will significantly reduce transportation costs, boosting SEG’s competitiveness and maintaining its industry-leading position,” the company explained. “SEG will continue to deepen its investments in wafers, cells, and modules, closely tracking market trends to meet our customers’ needs,” the company added, indicating a sunny future for solar power in the US. Things certainly did seem sunny just a year and five months ago, when former US President Joe Biden was still in office with robust support for both wind and solar. The environment abruptly shifted on January 20, 2025 when President Donald Trump swept back into office. Still, the sun will keep shining long after President Trump leaves office as scheduled on January 20, 2029 — peacefully one hopes, this time — and domestic solar manufacturers like SEG are planning for the long haul. In the latest news from SEG, on May 7 the company announced that it will construct a new 4-gigawatt factory in Houston. “Building on the success of its first 2 GW solar module factory, this expansion will increase SEG’s total annual U.S. module production capacity to approximately 6 GW,” SEG notes, adding that it expects the new solar module facility to be up and running sometime in Q3 of this year, which is just around the corner. “The domestically-produced modules will provide greater product quality, traceability and delivery speed to increase value for partners and customers,” SEG adds. Made-In-The-USA Solar Modules If that thing about delivery speed indicates that SEG is in a hurry, it is. The domestic solar manufacturing sector lay all but dormant for decades, and now the competition is heating up rapidly, with Texas being one standout example. As of 2023 Texas had just one solar module factory to its name, with about a dozen others producing racks and other related hardware. The Solar Energy Industries Association now counts 137 solar manufacturers of various kinds in Texas, along with 240 other companies in the installer/developer category and an additional 296 companies in solar-related fields. SEG has already indicated that it does not intend to sit on its laurels. “This new facility marks an important milestone for SEG,” said the company’s VP of Operations, Timothy Johnson. “It will further strengthen our U.S. manufacturing capabilities while supporting ongoing technology innovation,” Johnson emphasized in a press statement. “The plant is designed with the flexibility to integrate next-generation technologies, including HJT, as the industry evolves,” Johnson added. What Is This HJT Of Which You Speak? SEG launched its new SIERRA N HJT module series at the RE+ 2025 exhibition in Las Vegas last September. “The modules deliver up to 740 W of maximum power output with a conversion efficiency of 23.82%, and feature an ultra-low temperature coefficient of -0.24%/°C.” SEG “These technological advancements ensure stable performance and higher energy yields even under high-temperature, low-light, or complex environmental conditions,” the company added. “With higher power density and improved system compatibility, the SIERRA N series reduces the number of modules required per project, effectively lowering BOS [balance of system] and LCOE costs while providing reliable and efficient solutions for utility-scale and C&I projects,” they added again for good measure, with LCOE referring to the levelized cost of energy, a standard for comparing different energy technologies. Aside from lowering costs, the power density improvement can also help alleviate land use issues, cutting down on the space needed to generate the same amount of electricity. Potential impacts include more opportunities for small-scale solar in tight quarters as well as agrivoltaic applications on farmland. Nothing Can Stop Solar Power Now Among other announcements at RE+ 2025, SEG also signed a cooperation agreement with the Indiana-based electrical supply and services firm Kirby Risk. “The partnership will leverage SEG’s advanced manufacturing and R&D capabilities at its Houston facility alongside Kirby Risk’s leading local distribution and service network to accelerate the growth of clean energy in the U.S.,” SEG explained, once again underscoring the speed factor. This year marks Kirby Risk’s 100th anniversary in business and the solar industry has provided it with a fresh burst of adrenaline. Keep an eye on forthcoming solar activity in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Georgia, where the company maintains more than three dozen locations. Another SEG-adjacent firm to keep an eye on is the Arizona-based solar construction firm Erthos, which inked a licensing agreement with SEG in 2023. The startup’s Earth Mount Solar platform is a low-rise, modular system that practically eliminates expensive racking hardware. The agreement provides for SEG to manufacture modules that fit seamlessly into the Earth Mount system. SEG is just one example of the nonstop innovation that will keep pushing the solar envelope in the US regardless of partisan politics, with futuristic robotic installation systems and space solar power among other emerging elements. One has to wonder why President Trump and his allies in the Republican party are wasting so much time and energy on a losing battle…then again, never mind. Photo: The Texas-based solar manufacturer SEG Solar is among the firms continuing to push the solar power envelope despite the sharp U-turn in federal energy policy (cropped, courtesy of SEG).
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