Tesla plans $10B solar factory in Texas

Tesla plans to build a solar panel factory about 45 minutes southwest of Houston, according to documents filed with the state of Texas. The project, named Project Crystal Sun, could cost as much as $10.1 billion.

The company has applied for tax incentives to help offset the cost and said it is also considering sites in other U.S. states. The factory would create about 9,700 full-time jobs, Tesla said. Without incentives, Tesla's accountants estimated the property tax liability would be about $1.1 billion over 37 years.

Groundbreaking is targeted for 2026, with completion by 2028 and the first panels rolling off the line in 2029. Tesla did not indicate whether the panels would be used for terrestrial installations or satellites. CEO Elon Musk, who also runs SpaceX, has expressed strong interest in orbital data centers.

In the filing, Tesla did not disclose the factory's annual output. The company has said it plans to build 100 gigawatts of U.S. manufacturing capacity by 2028.