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Houston solar manufacturer opens new 50,000-square-foot facility

PV Hardware USA has opened its new $30 million facility in the Houston area. Photo courtesy of PVH

A Houston-area solar tracker manufacturer opened its new manufacturing facilities last week. The $30 million project is dedicated to manufacturing solar structures and trackers in part of the country’s goal to expand solar power generation infrastructure.

PV Hardware USA cut the ribbon on the new facility on May 30 in Houston. The new, 50,000-square-foot facility is one of America’s largest, according to the company.

“With the opening of this factory in Houston, PVH USA is affirming its unwavering commitment to solar energy development in the United States,” PVH CEO Emilio García says in a news release. “Our Houston operation will be a key player in the development of utility-scale solar energy across America, and we look forward to driving progress as a leading solar tracker manufacturer.”

PV Hardware USA cut the ribbon on the new facility on May 30 in Houston. Photo courtesy of PVH

The facility aims to provide custom-built solar tracking systems for new solar generation projects, which is expected to be a lead source of growth in the U.S. energy power sector. Solar power generation is projected to increase from 95 Gigawatts (GW) of total generating capacity to 131 GW in 2024, and then climb to 174 GW by 2025 according to U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The new Houston factory will employ more than 120 local workers, and is part of a larger mission to bring jobs, and increased awareness to renewable energy efforts.

“We are committed to powering the solar revolution with U.S. manufacturing and workers,” Garcia adds in the release. “The incentives provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are a tremendous opportunity to promote domestic manufacturing and support local communities. PVH USA aims to contribute to job creation and economic growth while bolstering the nation's renewable energy infrastructure.”

The new 50,000-square-foot facility is one of America’s largest, according to the company. Photo courtesy of PVH

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A View From HETI

Texas falls among the middle of the pack when it comes to EV adoption, according to a new report. Photo via Unsplash

Even though Texas is home to Tesla, a major manufacturer of electric vehicles, motorists in the Lone Star State aren’t in the fast lane when it comes to getting behind the wheel of an EV.

U.S. Department of Energy data compiled by Visual Capitalist shows Texas has 689.9 EV registrations per 100,000 people, putting it in 20th place for EV adoption among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. A report released in 2023 by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University found that a little over 5 percent of Texans drove EVs.

California leads all states for EV adoption, with 3,025.6 registrations per 100,000 people, according to Visual Capitalist. In second place is Washington, with an EV adoption rate of 1,805.4 per 100,000.

A recent survey by AAA revealed lingering reluctance among Americans to drive all-electric vehicles.

In the survey, just 16 percent of U.S. adults reported being “very likely” or “likely” to buy an all-electric vehicle as their next car. That’s the lowest level of interest in EVs recorded by AAA since 1999. The share of consumers indicating they’d be “very unlikely” or “unlikely” to buy an EV rose to 63 percent, the highest level since 2022.

Factors cited by EV critics included:

  • High cost to repair batteries (62 percent).
  • High purchase price (59 percent).
  • Ineffective transportation for long-distance travel (57 percent).
  • Lack of convenient public charging stations (56 percent).
  • Fear of battery running out of power while driving (55 percent).

“Since AAA began tracking consumer interest in fully electric vehicles, we’ve observed fluctuations in enthusiasm,” said Doug Shupe, corporate communications manager for AAA Texas. “While automakers continue investing in electrification and expanding EV offerings, many drivers still express hesitation — often tied to concerns about cost, range, and charging infrastructure.”

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