Tesla is actively looking to start large-scale solar cell manufacturing in the U.S., with potential locations being evaluated. The company is considering expanding its factory in New York and possibly building a new facility in the state. Other states like Arizona and Idaho are also being reviewed for this initiative.

The move comes in response to increasing energy demand, especially from AI infrastructure, prompting Elon Musk to focus on solar production. Tesla aims to produce up to 100 gigawatts of solar cells annually, surpassing current U.S. manufacturers. The company is motivated by tariffs on imported solar products and the need for domestic production.

Government officials in the states under consideration have not confirmed plans, and Tesla has not made a public announcement. If successful, Tesla’s production scale would significantly impact the U.S. solar manufacturing landscape. The focus is on industrial-scale manufacturing to establish Tesla as a major player in the sector.

Tesla’s efforts represent a shift towards vertical integration in solar production, aiming to secure energy supply for data centers on Earth and in space. This marks a new phase in Tesla’s solar ambitions, moving away from limited adoption of Solar Roof products towards dominating the solar manufacturing industry in the U.S.

TSLA closed at $411.11 on the NasdaqGS, up 3.50%, with after-hours trading at $411.85, up 0.18%. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of Nasdaq, Inc.

Read more at Nasdaq: Tesla Explores U.S. Sites To Accelerate Domestic Solar Cell Manufacturing