T1 Energy acquires TOPCon solar patent from Evervolt

A U.S. solar manufacturer, T1 Energy, is buying full ownership of the patents behind TOPCon solar cells, a high-efficiency solar panel technology, from a company called Evervolt Green Energy. The deal is worth $135 million and means T1 Energy will no longer pay licensing royalties to use this technology, since it now owns it outright.

For homeowners, this isn't a program or rebate you can apply for — it's a business move in the solar manufacturing world. But it does point to more TOPCon panels being made in the U.S. T1 Energy is building a solar cell plant in Austin, Texas, aiming to start production in the fourth quarter of 2026. That plant will supply cells to the company's existing module assembly plant in Dallas, which is already making solar panels at a rate of 3.4 gigawatts a year. Owning the technology outright, rather than licensing it, is meant to make the company's domestic manufacturing more competitive and cost-efficient.

The company has also been expanding beyond solar panels. It recently bought battery storage maker KORE Power for $32 million, which lets it pair its solar panels with battery systems for large customers. None of this changes what's available to homeowners right now, but as more TOPCon-based panels are made domestically, it could mean more of this panel technology showing up in home solar installations and incentive programs down the road.