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MESA, Ariz., and PATASKALA, Ohio – Aug. 8, 2025 – Illuminate USA, the largest single-site solar panel manufacturer in North America, has signed a five-year agreement with SOLARCYCLE to purchase domestically manufactured solar glass. The glass will support the production of 3 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels each year at Illuminate USA’s advanced manufacturing facility based in Pataskala, Ohio. This multi-year commitment makes Illuminate USA the largest customer for SOLARCYCLE’s future solar glass factory in Cedartown, Georgia.
SOLARCYCLE, a technology-based solar panel recycler and materials company, will produce glass using recycled materials from retired solar panels, further strengthening the circular economy for clean energy manufacturing.
“This agreement is a meaningful signal to the market about the future of solar manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Suvi Sharma, chief executive officer and co-founder of SOLARCYCLE. “Despite some challenging policy headwinds, there is still significant market demand for high-quality, domestically manufactured materials that support U.S. solar manufacturing. We are proud to welcome Illuminate USA as our anchor customer for the first-of-its-kind American solar glass factory.”
Illuminate USA assembles ready-to-install bifacial solar panels for a wide range of commercial applications. Bifacial solar panels use glass on both sides to increase energy output.
“We are committed to producing high-quality panels to meet growing demand in the American solar market. That commitment starts with the materials we use,” said Frank Zhu, chief executive officer of Illuminate USA. “High-performance solar glass is essential to enhancing panel efficiency, which makes our partnership with SOLARCYCLE especially meaningful. They share our commitment to quality, sustainability, and building a strong, domestic solar supply chain that creates rewarding careers for Americans.”
With this announcement, SOLARCYCLE’s solar glass production capacity is almost entirely committed in long-term agreements. The facility is shovel ready, and the company is now working to finalize the remaining investment necessary to begin construction. The company targets early 2028 for initial deliveries of solar glass.
Once complete, SOLARCYCLE’s solar glass factory in Cedartown is expected to be the first to produce specialized glass for crystalline-silicon solar panels in the United States, and the first in the world to use recycled glass cullet from end-of-life solar panels as a key input.
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About Illuminate USA
Illuminate USA is a leading U.S.-based solar panel manufacturer focused on innovation, quality, and domestic production. Headquartered in Pataskala, Ohio, Illuminate USA operates a state-of-the-art, 1.1-million-square-foot facility that uses the most advanced and efficient technology in the world to produce bifacial solar panels for a variety of commercial applications. The company began production in February 2024 and has the capacity to produce 9.2 million solar panels annually, equivalent to 5 gigawatts. With a workforce of over 1,500 skilled professionals, Illuminate USA is dedicated to delivering reliable, high-quality products that power communities. For more information, visit www.IlluminateUSA.com.
About SOLARCYCLE
SOLARCYCLE is leading the growth of the circular economy for solar in America. The company partners with the world’s largest asset owners and manufacturers to recycle solar panels, recover valuable materials, and make key components for the next generation of solar panels and clean energy products. Through its circular economy solutions, SOLARCYCLE enhances the sustainability and resiliency of the solar supply chain in the US. Learn more at www.SOLARCYCLE.us.
Please direct media inquiries to: media@solarcycle.us
