US Edition$1.1B Solar Power Manufacturing Facility Officially Opens in Iberia Parish
The New Iberia plant boosts Iberia Parish GDP by 4.4% and offers over 800 jobs with average pay of $90,000, using AI-powered production and American materials.
- On Friday, Nov. 20, 2025, First Solar, Inc. inaugurated a $1.1 billion, fully vertically integrated 2.4 million-square-foot facility in New Iberia, Iberia Parish, Louisiana.
- Driven by federal policy shifts, First Solar said the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and Trump administration trade policies accelerated its timeline and will raise U.S. capacity to 14 GW in 2026 and 17.7 GW in 2027.
- The factory produces Series 7 modules using American glass suppliers, Mississippi steel, and began production in July 2025, employing AI with computer vision and deep learning to detect defects.
- Local officials say the facility will deliver more than 700 current employees and 826 by year's end, with Iberia Parish GDP forecast to grow 4.4%.
- Looking beyond Louisiana, First Solar plans additional onshoring with a Gaffney, South Carolina production line, part of a $4.5 billion investment and over 5,500 US employees by 2026.
11 Articles
11 Articles
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First Solar opens a Louisiana factory that’s 11 Superdomes big
First Solar just cut the ribbon on a huge new factory in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, and it dwarfs the New Orleans Superdome. The company’s $1.1 billion, fully vertically integrated facility spans 2.4 million square feet, or about 11 times the size of the stadium’s main arena. more…
$1.1B solar power manufacturing facility officially opens in Iberia Parish
The $1.1 billion facility, which spans approximately 2.4 million square feet and is about 11 times the size of the New Orleans Superdome, currently employs over 700 people and is expected to have 826 employees by the end of the year.
$1.1B solar power manufacturing facility officially opens in Iberia Parish
The $1.1 billion facility, which spans approximately 2.4 million square feet and is about 11 times the size of the New Orleans Superdome, currently employs over 700 people and is expected to have 826 employees by the end of the year.
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