Buy American Solar: The Patriot's Guide to US-Made Panels

China controls over 80% of global solar panel manufacturing. When you buy a cheap Chinese panel, you’re subsidizing the CCP and putting American workers out of a job.

The good news: you don’t have to. American-made solar panels exist, they’re competitive, and buying them qualifies you for a 10% domestic content bonus on top of the 30% federal tax credit — 40% total back in your pocket.

Here’s what’s available, who makes it, and what to ask.

The Domestic Content Bonus

Before the manufacturer guide: understand why this matters financially.

The Inflation Reduction Act created a domestic content bonus credit for solar systems using American-made components. On top of the standard 30% ITC, qualifying systems get an additional 10% credit — totaling 40% of system cost.

On a $24,000 system: $9,600 back vs. $7,200 for foreign panels. That’s $2,400 extra in your pocket for buying American.

The IRS uses a “domestic content” threshold for components. Consult a tax professional and verify current IRS guidance (Notice 2023-29 and updates) for current qualifying criteria.

American Solar Panel Manufacturers

First Solar — Perrysburg, Ohio & Lake Township, Ohio

The gold standard for American-made solar.

First Solar is the only major US-headquartered solar panel manufacturer and one of the largest in the world by capacity. Their panels use cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film technology — which means their supply chain has no dependence on Chinese silicon or Chinese wafer processing.

Headquarters: Tempe, Arizona
Manufacturing: Perrysburg, Ohio and Lake Township, Ohio
Technology: Thin-film CdTe (different from crystalline silicon — ask your installer about the differences)
Panel type: Utility-scale focused; residential options through specific installer channels
US jobs: Thousands in Ohio manufacturing

When the supply chain is fully American, that’s genuine energy independence.

Q CELLS — Dalton, Georgia

Largest solar panel factory in the Western Hemisphere.

Hanwha Q CELLS opened its Dalton, Georgia manufacturing facility and has been expanding. The parent company is South Korean, but the manufacturing is American — employing thousands of Georgia workers.

Manufacturing: Dalton, Georgia
Parent company: Hanwha (South Korea) — be transparent with yourself about this
US jobs: 3,000+ in Georgia
Technology: Monocrystalline PERC and Q.ANTUM
Domestic content: Georgia-manufactured panels may qualify for domestic content bonus — verify current IRS guidance

South Korean parent, American workers. Make your own call on what counts.

Auxin Solar — Morgan Hill, California

The all-American fighter.

Auxin Solar is one of the few truly American-owned solar manufacturers — US company, US factory, US supply chain focus. They won a key anti-circumvention case in 2022 against Chinese panel imports routed through Southeast Asia, exposing the shell-game foreign manufacturers play to dodge US trade rules.

Headquarters: Morgan Hill, California
Manufacturing: Morgan Hill, California
Ownership: American-owned
Profile: Smaller manufacturer; premium for American supply chain integrity
Known for: Fighting for fair trade against Chinese dumping

If you want 100% American ownership and American factory: Auxin.

Silfab Solar — Bellingham, Washington

Canadian-owned, American-manufactured.

Silfab manufactures monocrystalline panels in Bellingham, Washington. Parent company is Canadian. Manufacturing is American — Washington state workers building high-efficiency panels.

Manufacturing: Bellingham, Washington
Parent company: Canadian
Technology: Monocrystalline — high efficiency ratings
Profile: Established brand with North American manufacturing commitment

Canadian parent, American factory. Not “Made in China.”

Mission Solar Energy — San Antonio, Texas

Mission Solar has undergone significant changes; verify current production status before specifying.

Originally launched with Boeing heritage technology in San Antonio, Texas. Verify current operating status with your installer — the American solar manufacturing landscape changes.

CubicPV (formerly 1366 Technologies) — Texas

CubicPV is working to establish American wafer manufacturing — a critical step in the solar supply chain that China dominates. Watch this company as US wafer production scales.

The Installer Questions Checklist

Print this. Ask every installer you talk to.

Where are the panels manufactured? (Country of factory, not company headquarters)
Who is the parent company of the manufacturer?
Do these panels qualify for the domestic content bonus credit?
Can you provide documentation of country of origin for the ITC filing?
Where are the inverters manufactured?
Where are the racking/mounting components manufactured?
What is the manufacturer’s US warranty service process?
What percentage of your installs use American-made components?

Any installer who can’t answer these questions hasn’t thought about it. Find one who has.

Comparison: American vs. Foreign Panels

Factor	American-Made	Chinese Import
Federal ITC	30%	30%
Domestic content bonus	+10% (40% total)	Not eligible
Supply chain security	US-controlled	CCP-dependent
Tariff exposure	None	Subject to Section 201/301 tariffs
Job creation	American workers	CCP factories
Anti-dumping risk	None	History of circumvention

The Bottom Line

You’re going to spend $20,000–$35,000 on a solar system. The difference between the cheapest Chinese panel and an American-made alternative might be $2,000–$4,000 in upfront equipment cost.

The domestic content bonus credit alone can offset most or all of that difference — and you’re employing American workers instead of funding the CCP.

It’s your money. Make the call that aligns with your values.

DATA SOURCED FROM: U.S. Department of Commerce — Anti-circumvention and anti-dumping rulings; IRS.gov — Notice 2023-29 (domestic content bonus credit guidance); SEIA — Domestic manufacturing data, factory employment figures; Manufacturer public filings and press releases — Factory locations, employment data