T1, Corning Reach Deal To Make Fully U.S.-Made Solar Panels

U.S. solar company T1 Energy and specialty glass maker Corning have reached a deal to establish a fully domestic solar supply chain, connecting polysilicon, wafers, cells, and panels manufactured in the United States, the companies announced, Nichola Groom reported for Reuters.

Under the deal, Corning will supply T1 with solar wafers from its Michigan factory beginning in the second half of 2026. (Photo: T1 Energy)

The agreement will help T1 meet surging U.S. demand for panels made with American components.

Under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, solar companies will be barred from claiming federal clean energy tax credits if their projects use significant equipment from “foreign entities of concern,” including China.

“This landmark supply chain agreement with Corning will help invigorate America with scalable, reliable, low-cost energy,” T1 CEO Daniel Barcelo said in a statement. “This is American companies building in America and protecting American energy security.”

Under the deal, Corning will supply T1 with solar wafers from its Michigan factory beginning in the second half of 2026.

Wafers—thin slices of silicon that form the foundation of solar cells—transform sunlight into electricity. China currently dominates global solar wafer production. Trump has long criticized the U.S. solar industry for relying too heavily on Chinese supply chains.