U.S.-based solar panel manufacturer Bila Solar has begun full-scale production of its new line of domestic content solar modules at a newly retrofitted facility in Indianapolis, marking a major step in reshoring clean energy manufacturing and advancing domestic supply chains.
The 157,000-square-foot factory, housed in a former Eli Lilly building, is the first and soon-to-be largest solar panel manufacturing site in Central Indiana. Bila Solar is now producing both its patented ultra-lightweight panels and newly introduced 550W dual-glass conventional modules, using U.S.-made solar cells. The panels qualify for a 10% domestic content bonus under the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
“This is a pivotal moment not just for Bila Solar, but for the entire U.S. clean energy industry,” said Mick McDaniel, Vice President and General Manager of Bila Solar. “Our Indianapolis facility proves the power of smart, forward-looking policies that bring manufacturing back home.”
The factory is initially focused on modules for ground-mount fixed-tilt and carport systems, with production having started last week. Bila Solar plans to ramp up to 300 megawatts (MW) of annual production capacity in its first phase, with expansion to 1 gigawatt (GW) targeted at full scale.
The project is expected to create more than 75 advanced manufacturing jobs in 2025, supporting local economic development and workforce training in clean energy technologies.
The launch comes amid rising demand for U.S.-made solar products as developers aim to maximize federal incentives while reducing reliance on imports. The U.S. Solar Market Insight Q2 2025 report from SEIA and Wood Mackenzie noted the industry added 8.6 GW of new solar module capacity in Q1, making it the third-largest quarterly expansion on record.
“Bila Solar’s investment in Indiana is proof of what is possible when we maintain the right policies that boost domestic manufacturing,” said SEIA president Abigail Ross Hopper. “Washington must make the right decisions now to ensure we can continue to lead the world in solar manufacturing and innovation.”
