Tesla and SpaceX are building 100GW of solar power in the U.S

At the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Elon Musk announced the future of clean energy. Speaking to global leaders, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX revealed that both companies are pushing hard to expand solar power production in the United States.

“The SpaceX and Tesla teams are both separately working to build 100GW of manufactured solar power in the U.S. That will probably take us about 3 years.” Musk said.

Each company aims to reach 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar manufacturing capacity on its own. Together, that adds up to an enormous boost for American-made solar panels and related equipment. To put it in perspective, experts expect about 70GW of new solar projects to be built across the US in 2026 and 2027 combined. Musk’s plan could nearly match that entire national rollout in just three years.

Musk has long championed solar as the best way to power the planet. He often points out how efficient it can be. For example, he has said that covering just 100 square miles of sunny land with solar panels could generate enough electricity for the whole country.

For Tesla, this fits perfectly with its growing energy business. The company already offers products like Solar Roof tiles, which turn homes into mini power plants, and Megapacks, large batteries that store energy for grids. Scaling up manufacturing will make these more affordable and widely available.

SpaceX’s role is equally interesting. While known for rockets and satellites, the company needs reliable power for its massive operations. Ground-based solar could support Starlink’s network of satellites or even future missions. By building its own capacity, SpaceX ensures steady, clean energy without depending on others.

As of late 2025, the US had around 266GW of total solar capacity installed. Musk’s initiative could speed up the shift to renewables dramatically. It means more jobs in manufacturing, lower costs for clean power, and less reliance on fossil fuels.

By having Tesla and SpaceX work independently toward the same target, he doubles the effort without overlap. If successful, it could transform America’s energy landscape and inspire the world to go solar faster.

ELON MUSK: “In SpaceX and Tesla, we’re building up large scale solar. We are working to build to 100 gigawatts a year of solar power in the US and that’ll probably take us down in about 3 years or something. I’d encourage others to do the same.” pic.twitter.com/8hCODyX1BF

— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) January 22, 2026