North Texas Solar Factory Creates 1,200 Jobs in Clean Energy

Robots blaring the Imperial March from Star Wars zip through a gleaming factory south of Dallas, but the real story isn't the sci-fi vibe. It's the 1,200 people earning paychecks building America's clean energy future.

T1 Energy's massive facility in Wilmer opened last year and now runs 24 hours a day, producing 20,000 solar panels daily. The company is investing $1 billion across Texas, including a second facility in Rockdale that will create even more manufacturing jobs when it opens later this year.

"We're bullish on American solar," says Russell Gold, T1's executive vice president. "Texas has got a great workforce, a great business environment, and really good energy prices."

The timing couldn't be better. While national manufacturing faces headwinds from tariffs and inflation, North Texas is experiencing a manufacturing boom, particularly in clean energy technology.

About 200 clean energy manufacturing facilities have popped up across America in recent years, with roughly 20 in Texas alone. Most focus on solar, wind, or battery storage components that were previously made overseas.

The shift started during COVID, when supply chain disruptions showed how vulnerable America had become to foreign manufacturing. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act added fuel to the fire with incentives for domestic production.

Last summer, Chinese manufacturer Hithium opened a half-million square foot battery factory in Mesquite with 160 employees. "This was probably the smoothest, fastest, most supportive factory situation I've been a part of," says James Boswell, the company's VP for North America operations.

The facilities aren't just assembly lines. They're high-tech operations using artificial intelligence and robotics, creating skilled jobs that pay well above minimum wage.

The Ripple Effect

Texas has led the nation in exports for 23 straight years, but this clean energy manufacturing wave is different. It's not just boosting export numbers (currently $455 billion annually). It's creating middle-class jobs in communities like Wilmer and Mesquite.

The boom is feeding on itself. Texas already leads the nation in wind and solar power deployment, which means manufacturers can locate close to their customers. That proximity attracts more investment, which creates more jobs, which strengthens local economies.

"North Texas checks a lot of the boxes: logistics, talent, incentive and just the growing demand," says Abdul El Baba of Gray Construction, which built the Hithium facility. "It's quickly becoming like a magnet for clean energy investment."

Even the University of Texas at Dallas is getting in on the action, opening a 15,000 square foot battery research and manufacturing facility to train the next generation of workers.

The clean energy manufacturing renaissance proves something important: America can still make things, create good jobs, and build a sustainable future all at the same time.