T1 Energy secures waiver to import up to 1.725 gigawatts of solar cells
Key Facts
T1 Energy announced on 22 October 2026 that it had secured a waiver from the U.S. Commerce Department after seeking permission to import up to 1.725 gigawatts of solar cells. The company said the waiver supports photovoltaic module manufacturing alongside the expansion of solar cell manufacturing in the United States. The imported cells are intended to supply the G1 Dallas module plant, which the company relies on to meet existing and expected contractual demand. The company described the operational purpose of the request as ensuring "uninterrupted manufacturing." It sought to secure these cells for a limited period while construction of its domestic cell plant continues, tying imports to manufacturing needs during construction. The Dallas plant has a stated annual production capacity of 5 gigawatts of solar modules, according to the company's website.
The waiver comes as the company said customer demand for domestic solar cells and modules had risen since the presidential proclamation concerning the sector. Chairman and Chief Executive Dan Barcelo described the increase as "meaningful," according to the company's statement. On the business front, an earnings presentation filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission showed net sales reaching about $250 million in the second quarter of 2026. That compares with sales of $133 million in the same quarter of 2025. In domestic product contracting, T1 signed an agreement to supply 641 megawatts of solar modules to Clearway Energy Group. The announced agreement calls for the use of domestic solar cells from the G2 Austin plant in the modules covered by the contract.
The waiver's regulatory framework falls under U.S. Commerce Department rules governing imports of polysilicon and its derivatives. In the rule published in the Federal Register, the department explains that waivers for existing importers subject to the prohibition allow them to "resume importing" covered products. The temporary prohibition is linked to measures to prevent stockpiling of these products, the framework through which the rule governs waiver applications. The interim rule took effect on 22 September 2026, according to the published government text. It remains in effect until 3 December 2026, covering the transition period before new import adjustments for polysilicon products take effect.
The cell manufacturing project T1 is building is the first phase of the G2 Austin plant in Rockdale, Texas. This phase has a stated capacity of 2.1 gigawatts, according to the waiver announcement, which linked the import request to ongoing construction there. The company had previously targeted initial cell production in the fourth quarter of 2026. That timing appeared in its first-quarter earnings statement, when the company said it continued to target the start of production during that quarter. The supply agreement with Clearway also links the new cell plant to the solar module business, identifying the plant as the source of domestic cells used in the contracted products.
The expansion requires capital expenditure estimated by the company at about $510 million for the first phase of the Austin plant, according to its second-quarter 2026 disclosure to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. That estimate includes a 20% contingency in the project budget. The company attributed the higher expenditure estimate to labor and materials costs. It linked those pressures to data center construction in Texas, where it is developing its cell manufacturing project. To cover the remaining expenditure for the first phase, it said it was targeting a comprehensive financing solution with a substantial debt component. In the same disclosure, it warned that securing this financing on favorable terms, or at all, was not guaranteed.
Looking ahead, the U.S. import adjustments take effect on 4 December 2026, according to the Commerce Department. These adjustments include minimum import prices and tariffs on polysilicon products. T1's current announced target for producing its first solar cells at the Austin plant is the first quarter of 2027, compared with its previous target of the fourth quarter of 2026. The current schedule places the start of domestic production after the new import adjustments take effect. Also during 2027, the company expects to introduce solar modules with domestic content exceeding 60%, according to the announcement of the supply agreement with Clearway.