K Paste Rises with Tesla's 100GW Project

As Tesla moves forward with the construction of a large-scale solar cell manufacturing facility, non-Chinese core materials have emerged as a key variable for global supply chain diversification.

According to industry sources on September 16, Tesla has set a goal of establishing solar cell manufacturing facilities with a capacity of 100GW by 2030. To achieve this, the company plans to build facilities with a capacity of 50GW by the end of next year. This is aimed at securing the vast amount of electricity needed for the production of the humanoid robot 'Optimus' and the operation of 'Terafab' plants.

Tesla will introduce pilot production equipment starting in November and plans to install a line in California, USA, in the first quarter of next year. The company intends to mass-produce the ‘TOPCON’ solar cell, known for its industry-leading cost-performance ratio, as its main product through this facility.

As a result, global supply chain diversification has become more important than ever. In order to receive significant Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit (AMPC) benefits under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the use of non-Chinese materials is essential. In particular, stable supply of the core material ‘precious metal paste’, which accounts for about 40% of solar cell manufacturing costs, is considered the single most critical factor for securing subsidies.

Against this backdrop, Tesla is also working to build supply chain partnerships with Korean companies. Company D, which has demonstrated firm technological supremacy in the paste market, is seen as a key partner that will help Tesla meet the requirements of the IRA.

An industry official said, “A close-knit supply system is expected to materialize in line with the setup timeline for Tesla’s mass-production solar cell facilities going forward.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.