White House Highlights Solar Company Making Massive Investments in Texas

The White House reposted a message solar manufacturer T1 Energy put out Wednesday promoting a Texas cell plant the company said will carry first-phase capital spending in excess of $500 million. The company’s post on X said the facility, which it calls G2_Austin, would create an estimated 1,500 advanced manufacturing jobs in Milam County and credited President Donald Trump for making the investment possible. “This investment would not have been possible without the leadership of President Trump and his administration,” T1 wrote. “We are investing big in America, because it is the greatest country in the world.” Chairman and CEO Dan Barcelo told Breitbart News the repost amounts to recognition of work already underway. This is a recognition that T1 is helping the administration deliver on one of its key promises: to bring back advanced manufacturing jobs. We’re excited that our investment and hard work is being recognized. We’re building in America to power Americans and American energy grids. T1 put first-phase capacity at an estimated 2.1 GW and the plant’s payroll at $120 million. The company began construction last December on more than 100 acres at Rockdale, northeast of Austin, pricing the first phase then at $400 million to $425 million and projecting up to 1,800 jobs. Cells from the plant are slated to feed T1’s operating 5 GW module facility south of Dallas. The company now targets early 2027 for first production. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent predicted last year that the administration’s policies would set off a capital spending boom led by large factory projects. “Our investment will help deliver energy abundance while reshoring advanced manufacturing and putting Americans to work,” the chief executive added. Trump issued a Section 232 proclamation in August setting minimum import prices on polysilicon and derivative products, with a 15 percent duty taking effect Dec. 4. The Commerce Department granted T1 a waiver last week to bring in up to 1.725 GW of foreign cells to supply the Dallas-area module plant while Rockdale is built. The president stumped for Ken Paxton at back-to-back rallies in Corpus Christi and Lubbock on Tuesday, telling supporters that Democrat Senate nominee James Talarico “will kill millions of Texas jobs.”