Tesla is considering one of its biggest manufacturing investments yet: a $10.1 billion solar factory southwest of Houston that could eventually employ nearly 10,000 people.
But the plant is not a done deal. The proposed development, known as Project Crystal Sun, would occupy part of roughly 3,050 acres in Fort Bend County near Richmond and Needville. Tesla is still comparing the Texas location with another site outside the state and has not announced a final choice. The company hopes to complete its site selection before the end of 2026.
A factory much larger than a simple panel assembly plant
Tesla’s proposal calls for manufacturing photovoltaic solar cells and assembled solar modules, with production lines, warehouses and supporting utility infrastructure.
The scale of the investment is striking. About $1.5 billion would go toward real property, while roughly $8.6 billion would be invested in manufacturing equipment and other personal property, based on the company’s application under Texas’ Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation program. The Texas Comptroller’s Project Crystal Sun application file was posted in August and has since moved through the state’s incentive-review process…