A recent ruling on zoning requirements in York County, South Carolina, has determined that solar manufacturing is only allowed in heavy industrial zones. Despite that decision, Silfab Solar’s silicon cell and panel manufacturing operation in Fort Mill can continue operating in a light industrial zone due to prior approval.
A South Carolina circuit judge this week ruled that York County incorrectly designated solar panel production as “computer and electronic products manufacturing,” which is allowed in a light industrial district. The York County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) additionally claimed that “solar panel manufacturing is prohibited in the light industrial district,” and Judge William McKinnon agrees.
York County approved construction of Silfab Solar’s plant in 2022 in a light industrial district in Fort Mill. After an appeal from a Fort Mill resident in 2024, the zoning board went back on its decision, stating that solar manufacturing was only allowed in heavy industrial zones. The county said that the Silfab plant could continue construction and future operations because the new zoning decision “applies only to future projects.”
Despite Silfab lawfully being “grandfathered” into the zoning distinction, Fort Mills citizens have strongly voiced their opposition. Community members have questioned the safety of the Silfab facility, including its close proximity to a newly built elementary school. Residents are worried about the chemicals used in solar cell manufacturing. Community outrage escalated in March when two separate chemical spill incidents were reported, although the South Carolina Dept. of Environmental Services and the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed there was no risk.
“The court’s recent decision has no impact on our current operations or permits. All employees are reporting to work as scheduled. … York County has previously confirmed; the BZA’s ruling only applies prospectively and does not affect Silfab because our project was well underway prior to the BZA’s decision. Silfab Solar will be appealing to ensure that future opportunities to expand production and hiring remain open and to protect the zoning process from being manipulated in the future as our opponents did in this case,” Silfab wrote in a press statement.
Silfab Solar is headquartered in Canada, operates a solar panel assembly plant in Burlington, Washington, and was planning to be one of the first brands to establish solar cell manufacturing in the United States. The Fort Mill, South Carolina, site is intended to produce 1 GW of cells and 1 GW of panels each year. Panel production has been ongoing in South Carolina while full cell production has not yet been announced.
