SpaceX invests in 10 GW solar factory, expanding dual-layer production lines in Barstow, Texas to power AI in space

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SpaceX has received approval to build a 10-gigawatt solar manufacturing plant in Bastrop, Texas, with two production lines each producing 5 gigawatts of solar cells, marking a critical step in Musk's space AI data center plan. Tesla is simultaneously establishing a solar factory near Houston, with both companies targeting an annual capacity of 100 gigawatts each within three years. (Background: Musk warns the US "will face a power shortage" next year: The biggest concern for AI development is not computing power, but these 3 major challenges) (Background context: Moving the Three Gorges Dam into space — China plans to build a solar cosmic power station. Will humanity embrace energy freedom?) SpaceX is extending the energy of the space race into the ground-based solar industry. According to Bastrop County permit documents obtained by Bloomberg, SpaceX plans to build a 10-gigawatt solar manufacturing plant in Bastrop, near Austin, Texas, with two production lines each producing 5 gigawatts of solar cells. This facility, spanning over one million square feet, is part of SpaceX's plan this year to double its existing Bastrop facility. In addition to solar cells, it will also produce the next generation of Starlink products. The company also detailed this expansion plan in its IPO prospectus on Wednesday. Energy Layout for the Space AI Data Center At the World Economic Forum this January, Musk stated that solar energy is the key solution to the energy bottleneck of artificial intelligence infrastructure. He announced an ambitious goal: Tesla and SpaceX will each establish 100 gigawatts of annual solar manufacturing capacity in the US within the next three years, a figure far exceeding the current domestic output. Musk had previously warned that the US may face a power shortage crisis next year, believing that the biggest concern for AI development is not computing power, but energy supply. The establishment of SpaceX's solar plant provides the energy foundation for its space AI data center plan. In Bloomberg's feature on space data centers, Musk pointed out that moving AI computing into space orbit requires massive renewable energy support. Currently, the largest solar manufacturer in the US is First Solar, with an annual capacity of approximately 14 gigawatts using thin-film technology. According to a report released Thursday by the American Clean Energy Association, the US currently has over 60 gigawatts of annual solar component manufacturing capacity, but most of it is assembled from silicon-based cells manufactured overseas, with only three silicon cell plants actually operating domestically. The US has imposed high tariffs on solar imports from China and Southeast Asian countries, stemming from complaints by domestic manufacturers about unfair trade practices. This also explains why SpaceX and Tesla have chosen to establish solar cell manufacturing lines on US soil. On Tesla's side, it is similarly setting up its solar manufacturing chess game in Texas. According to a report by Electrek on May 19, Tesla has posted multiple solar manufacturing-related job openings in Brookshire near Houston. This site is also planned to build Megapack batteries. Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja revealed in an April conference call with investors that the company has begun placing orders for solar manufacturing equipment. However, intervention by the Chinese government has led supplier Suzhou Maxwell Technologies to prohibit the export of high-end solar manufacturing equipment to Tesla. Musk hopes to ease the issue through the recent visit to China alongside the Trump administration, but the results remain unclear. The Bastrop area, where SpaceX's solar plant is located, is gradually becoming a gathering point for Musk's empire in Texas. This month, SpaceX also applied for enterprise zone certification for the Bastrop site, which would qualify it for specific tax rebate benefits once approved. This area is already home to Musk's tunneling company Boring Company and xAI facilities, and also provides supporting amenities such as employee supermarkets, schools, and company-owned housing. SpaceX's Solar Production Director Noah Cowles stated on LinkedIn that the company is building "one of the world's most advanced solar cell factories" and is recruiting engineers for the plant.

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