After third-party safety tests, Silfab will start solar cell production in SC next month

Silfab Solar plans to start up its solar cell manufacturing plant in Fort Mill, South Carolina, on October 19. The facility had been closed earlier this year after a chemical incident raised safety concerns among nearby residents, since making solar cells involves handling chemicals like silane, anhydrous ammonia, hydrochloric acid, potassium hydroxide, and hydrofluoric acid.

Before restarting, Silfab hired an outside firm, TRC Engineers, to review its leak prevention and emergency response systems. TRC's report found that Silfab's equipment and safety features already met or exceeded regulatory requirements, and the company has shared that report with South Carolina's environmental regulators. TRC also recommended some additional safeguards, such as more leak detection systems, alarms, and shut-off valves throughout the plant. Silfab says it has already made some of these upgrades and will complete the rest as production lines come back online.

This news mainly matters if you live near the Fort Mill plant or are following the solar manufacturing industry rather than shopping for a home solar or efficiency upgrade yourself. It does not change pricing, incentives, or panel availability for homeowners considering solar installations. Silfab has posted the full report and its restart plans on its own website for anyone who wants more detail on the safety review or the timeline for resuming operations.