Qcells to introduce U.S. domestic frames for residential solar panel lineup

Qcells plans to make its home solar panel lines with U.S.-made aluminum frames by the end of 2026. The frames for its Q.TRON AC and Q.PEAK DUO AC panels will come from ALUKO Group's plant in Halls, Tennessee, which handles all three steps of frame-making (extrusion, anodizing, and fabrication) in one place.

The reason comes down to a tax credit. The federal Investment Tax Credit, which helps offset the cost of installing solar, offers a bonus of 10% on top of the base credit if a project uses enough domestically made parts. This is called the domestic content bonus. The rules for qualifying get stricter in 2027, when projects will need a higher share of U.S.-made components. By making the whole frame-manufacturing process happen in Tennessee, Qcells says installers and financing companies will have an easier time confirming a project qualifies for that bonus.

The Tennessee plant is set to reach full production by the end of 2026, with ALUKO investing more than $107 million there over five years. For a homeowner, the news itself doesn't change anything right away, but it points to more U.S.-made solar panels becoming available that could help installers qualify projects for the extra 10% tax credit. If you're considering solar, it may be worth asking whether the panels being offered use domestic content, since that can affect how much of the installation cost comes back to you through the tax credit.