Ulises Fernández Bugarini

Tesla is planning to build a $10.1 billion vertically integrated solar cell manufacturing facility in Fort Bend County, Texas, about 40 minutes from Houston, according to a new public application filing. Tesla is aiming to start construction this year and finish in 2028, with commercial operations starting in Q1 2029. According to the application, the project would include: • Wafer Manufacturing Equipment • Ingot Manufacturing Equipment • Coating Equipment • Metallization and Printing Lines • Cell Testing and QC Equipment • Automation and Material Handling Systems • Cleanroom and Production Support Improvements • Site Infrastructure Improvements • Chemical Storage and Delivery Systems • Utility Infrastructure • Environmental and Safety Systems Project overview from the filing: "Tesla is currently evaluating the development of a solar cell manufacturing facility located in Fort Bend County, Texas, within Lamar CISD’s jurisdiction, on the property identified by the parcel IDs listed below. The proposed facility would be expected to manufacture photovoltaic solar cells and/or assembled solar modules, which are components used to convert sunlight into electricity. Operations at the proposed facility would focus on producing finished photovoltaic products for deployment in utility-scale, commercial, and distributed solar installations. While specific design parameters may vary, solar manufacturing facilities of this type typically include industrial buildings housing production lines, supporting utilities infrastructure, warehousing for raw materials and finished goods, and related site improvements. The project would plan to be commercially operable in the first quarter of 2029. In total, the project represents a capital investment of approximately $10.1 billion."