Commerce Waives Solar Cell Import Limits for T1 Energy’s Texas Operations

The U.S. Department of Commerce has granted T1 Energy Inc. authorization to import up to 1.725 gigawatts (GW) of solar cells to keep its G1_Dallas module facility operating in Texas while the company builds its G2_Austin solar cell fabrication facility in Rockdale. T1 announced the decision on October 22. The authorization is company-specific and is intended to bridge a manufacturing supply gap: T1 can continue importing cells for module assembly before its planned domestic cell production comes online. It is a regulatory waiver, not a government contract or grant award.

The waiver is tied to a Section 232 proclamation issued by the Trump administration in August, which targets market dumping and price manipulation involving imported polysilicon and solar products derived from polysilicon. Beginning December 4, 2026, incoming shipments of polysilicon and silicon-based solar products will face a 15% tariff and minimum import prices established under the order. According to the source, the waiver allows T1 to meet its supply needs without fear of punishment for stockpiling solar materials under the Section 232 tariffs. The distinction matters to procurement teams: the authorization supports a defined company’s near-term sourcing and manufacturing continuity, rather than creating a general exemption for solar buyers or the broader industry.

T1’s Rockdale facility is Phase 1 of a planned 2.1 GW solar cell manufacturing operation. The company expects to produce its first cells there in Q1 2027, leaving a period in which imported cells will support continued module assembly at the Dallas plant. T1 described its December 2024 transaction as positioning the company among leading U.S. solar manufacturers with a complementary solar and storage strategy. For project developers, module buyers, and contractors, the immediate procurement question is how to plan around the available imported-cell supply, the December trade measures, and the expected production transition in early 2027.

The company’s leadership framed the waiver as enabling delivery of Texas-assembled modules while domestic manufacturing capacity expands. Dan Barcelo, Chairman and CEO of T1 Energy, said, “We appreciate the Commerce Department’s support in granting this waiver, allowing us to deliver solar modules assembled in Texas and expand U.S. solar cell manufacturing capacity without any unnecessary delays.” Barcelo also said customer demand for domestic solar cells and modules has increased since the Section 232 proclamation. That demand signal is relevant to suppliers competing for solar projects, but the source does not quantify demand, state the waiver’s duration beyond its import cap, or identify specific customer commitments. Buyers should therefore distinguish near-term module availability supported by imported cells from anticipated domestic cell output at Rockdale.

• Commerce authorized T1 Energy to import up to 1.725 GW of solar cells for its Texas manufacturing operations.
• The waiver supports the G1_Dallas module facility while construction continues at the G2_Austin cell facility in Rockdale, Texas.
• The authorization is specific to T1 Energy; it is not a government contract award or a broad industry-wide exemption.
• Section 232 measures take effect December 4, 2026, including a 15% tariff and minimum import prices for covered incoming polysilicon and silicon-based solar products.
• T1 says the waiver helps meet supply needs without fear of punishment for stockpiling solar materials under the scheduled tariffs.
• The Rockdale project’s Phase 1 is part of a planned 2.1 GW solar cell manufacturing operation; first production is expected in Q1 2027.
• Solar project buyers and procurement teams should account for the transition from imported-cell-supported modules to expected domestic cell production when evaluating sourcing plans.
• Suppliers competing for solar projects should clearly distinguish current module availability from future domestic cell output; the source provides no specific customer allocations or contract commitments.
• T1 reported that customer demand for domestic solar cells and modules has increased since the Section 232 proclamation, but provided no quantified demand figures.
• The Bureau of Industry and Security is listed among the agencies associated with the signal; the source describes the waiver as a Commerce Department action.