Who will be the U.S. solar cell technology leaders in 2030? - pv magazine USA

The U.S. solar PV sector is preparing for major investment in new manufacturing and materials-supply facilities, shifting attention to which firms will lead silicon-based solar cell technology by 2030. The article frames a central question for the industry: which companies will build new capacity with control over process flows and R&D, versus those that rely on turn-key lines from third-party vendors. It also links technology leadership to the role of PV equipment suppliers and the ability to manage potential export restrictions on manufacturing equipment or raw materials from China. These themes are tied to Solar Manufacturing USA 2026 in Austin, Texas on 22–23 September 2026, described as the first U.S.-specific gathering focused on a domestic PV manufacturing ecosystem. It argues that the last five years of cell manufacturing have been dominated by Chinese producers, citing that the top 20 silicon cell makers in 2025 were all China-based.