Toyo cuts the ribbon on its newly-expanded solar factory in Texas

Japanese solar manufacturer Toyo has expanded its solar panel assembly plant in Humble, Texas, which opened in October 2025 and now has capacity to make 2 gigawatts of solar panels a year. The company is putting another $357 million into the site to add a line for making solar cells using a technology called heterojunction (HJT), a cell design known for strong efficiency. That new line is expected to start up by early 2028 and bring the plant's workforce to 400 people.

The news matters for homeowners mainly as a sign of where American-made solar equipment is heading. Toyo says it plans to use U.S.-produced polysilicon, the raw material at the base of solar cells, for its domestic manufacturing. An outside audit firm, Intertek CEA, reviewed the factory's quality and operations and gave it its highest rating. More U.S. solar manufacturing capacity could eventually mean more domestically made panel options for homeowners installing solar, though this plant's output is not yet tied to specific consumer products or rebate programs.

One complication: the U.S. Department of Commerce is investigating whether cells made by Toyo and another company, using Chinese-origin silicon wafers processed overseas, improperly dodge tariffs meant to target Chinese solar products. Toyo says its wafers come from Indonesia and mostly use U.S. polysilicon, and it's asking Commerce for clarity on whether its products will be affected. The outcome could influence pricing or availability of solar equipment down the line, though it does not point to any immediate changes for homeowners right now.