OCI Holdings expands US solar value chain with new production facility

OCI’s Alamo 4 solar farm in Texas / Courtesy of OCI Holdings

By Park Jae-hyuk

OCI Holdings will build a solar cell production plant at its subsidiary, Mission Solar Energy, in Texas to expand its U.S. solar value chain. The company will invest $265 million to begin commercial production of 1 gigawatt of solar cells in the first half of 2026, with capacity gradually increasing to 2 gigawatts by the end of the year.

The new plant will use solar-grade polysilicon from OCI Holdings’ Malaysian subsidiary, OCI TerraSus, which is produced using eco-friendly hydropower. This polysilicon meets Renewable Energy 100 standards and complies with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, ensuring a clean and competitive product. The facility will contribute to a U.S.-based solar supply chain, enhancing the availability of domestically produced components.

The project will benefit from the advanced manufacturing production credit under the Inflation Reduction Act, offering a $0.04 per watt tax credit. Solar projects using these cells will also be eligible for a 10 percent investment tax credit, boosting profitability for customers.

OCI Holdings, the first Korean company to enter the U.S. solar module manufacturing market in 2014, has extensive experience in large-scale solar projects. The new facility will drive cost efficiencies by leveraging existing factory infrastructure and presecured production permits, positioning the project to be completed more than a year ahead of competitors.

“The establishment of this new solar cell subsidiary marks the start of U.S.-produced solar cells made with OCI TerraSus’ polysilicon within a clean supply chain. This cost-efficient and expedited project will be the foundation for further strengthening our solar value chain in the U.S.,” OCI Chairman Lee Woo-hyun said.