American-made solar panels: Who are the top manufacturers?

The phrase "Made in America" carries weight. Whether it's a pair of jeans, a small business, or the solar panels on your neighbor's roof, there's something meaningful about supporting your community. One way you can invest in your local economy? Buy American-made solar equipment. There's never been a better time—more solar panels than ever are now being made in the U.S.

We've rated thousands of solar panels made by dozens of manufacturers based on efficiency, power output, warranty, and other important specs that determine how much electricity a panel can squeeze out over its lifetime.

Some of these American-made panels (and the inverters they connect to) are among the top-rated, most popular solar equipment on the EnergySage Marketplace.

First Solar 

Ohio-based First Solar the largest manufacturer of solar panels in the U.S. The company mostly produces panels for commercial and utility-scale installations, which means individual panels tend to be less efficient than those used on residential rooftops, where the goal is to pack as much capacity as possible into limited space. Still, First Solar has continued investing heavily in domestic capacity and has expanded its manufacturing footprint in Ohio and Arizona in recent years.

Qcells

Qcells is the second-largest manufacturer of solar panels in the U.S. and consistently one of the most popular brands on the EnergySage Marketplace—it currently ranks as the third-best solar panel in our rankings. It's also one of the most widely used residential solar panel brands—American-made or otherwise.

While Qcells is headquartered in South Korea, the company has invested billions in its Georgia manufacturing operations, which now have a capacity of up to 8,400 MW annually. Not all Qcells panels are made in Georgia, but choosing Qcells means you're actively supporting American manufacturing jobs. It's worth asking your installer where the specific panels in your quote are produced if that matters to you.

Canadian Solar

Canadian Solar is one of the largest solar panel manufacturers in the world, and while the company is headquartered in Canada (hence the name), it operates a major U.S. manufacturing facility in Mesquite, Texas, with an annual capacity of 5,000 MW. That makes it one of the biggest module producers on American soil. Canadian Solar panels are popular on the EnergySage Marketplace and place fourth overall in our rankings—offering a strong combination of power output, efficiency, and warranty coverage at a competitive price.

Other notable names in American solar manufacturing

Other manufacturers with U.S. operations include Silfab Solar, (Washington state), Mission Solar.(Texas), Heliene (Minnesota), Jinko Solar (Florida and California), and Solar4America (California).

Below is the current list of active U.S. solar photovoltaic manufacturers, as of May 2026, according to the Department of Energy's Solar Manufacturing Map. The map covers module manufacturers and solar product components, like silicon, wafers, and cells. Capacity figures reflect the maximum amount a facility could produce—not actual output.

Source: U.S. DOE Solar Manufacturing Map. Capacity figures reflect nameplate capacity. Facilities with 0 MWdc/yr listed are headquarters locations without active manufacturing.

Solar panels are only one part of a home solar system. The DOE's manufacturing map tracks 200 facilities across the full solar supply chain—everything from raw silicon and wafers to cells, modules, inverters, racking, and recyclers. The 52 entries in the table above represent only a portion of these material manufacturers; the broader U.S. solar supply chain is considerably larger.

One of the most notable component makers is Enphase, whose IQ series microinverters and controllers are wildly popular on the EnergySage Marketplace. About 52% of solar quotes on EnergySage in the second half of 2025 included Enphase microinverters, followed by Tesla (driven by the Powerwall 3's integrated inverter) at 38%. Enphase’s manufacturing is contracted out to third-party factories in Wisconsin (Foxconn) and South Carolina (Flex), according to the DOE.

American solar manufacturing was experiencing a remarkable boom, but recent policy changes have created uncertainty for the industry.

The numbers tell an incredible story of growth: Domestic solar panel manufacturing capacity grew 750%, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The U.S. experienced a fivefold increase in solar panel production since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. New cell capacity expanded, wafer capacity came online for the first time since 2016, and module manufacturing grew more than 50%.

However, a lot of this boom is due to legislation that has dramatically compressed timelines. With the expedited deadline of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC)—2025 for residential systems and commercial projects required to be placed in service by the end of 2027 to claim tax credits—there are supply chain disruptions. Commercial developers are stockpiling panels, inverters, and other components through "safe harboring" provisions to secure tax credits before they disappear.

The timing creates a challenging paradox for domestic manufacturers who were finally establishing stable market positions. After years of building toward energy independence, the industry finds itself at a crossroads where policy uncertainty threatens the very manufacturing base it was designed to strengthen.

Global competition remains strong

Even though American manufacturing has grown significantly, the bulk of panels and components still come from overseas. China continues to control more than 80% of the global solar supply chain, and even American-assembled panels often use components sourced from abroad.

Four of the largest global manufacturers are headquartered in China and primarily manufacture there (though some—like Jinko Solar—have opened American facilities).The fifth-largest manufacturer is Canadian Solar, a Canadian company that also has a manufacturing facility in Texas.

If you want to make sure you get American-made panels, you might have to shop around for an installer that offers that choice. Some solar installers work exclusively, or near exclusively, with specific brands, which may or may not have U.S.-based plants. On the flip side, some installers are proud to offer USA-made or assembled solar products.

It's also worth noting that most solar lease equipment is American-made, as the financier who owns the panels must work with an approved vendor list composed mostly (if not exclusively) of domestic brands.

When you register for the EnergySage Marketplace, we’ll let our installer network know you’re looking for equipment made in America and aim to get you multiple quotes for these products. Our Energy Advisors can help you sort through your options. Learn more and sign up here.