A Bay Area clean energy manufacturer will shutter its San Jose headquarters and research facility this December, eliminating 138 jobs as it moves operations to Texas. The closure represents more than a corporate relocation: it signals the physical departure of an entire solar shingle factory from California’s technology corridor.
GAF Energy, a company that produces solar panels integrated directly into roofing shingles, filed the required state notice Thursday disclosing its plan to close the plant permanently on December 13. The facility opened in 2021 and combined research, development, and manufacturing under one roof at the city’s southeastern edge. Workers scheduled for layoff span a wide range of roles: electricians, engineers, roofers, technicians, and management staff, as well as remote employees who report to the San Jose site.
President Martin DeBono attributed the decision to persistent upheaval in the solar industry. He said the company will consolidate its research, development, and production teams at a new headquarters in Georgetown, Texas, where a manufacturing plant launched in May 2024.
“This decision was not taken lightly,” DeBono stated, adding that the company intends to support displaced employees through the transition. He did not disclose whether San Jose workers would receive offers to transfer to the Texas facility.
The solar sector faces mounting uncertainty at both the state and federal level. Recent policy shifts include President Trump’s July legislation accelerating the expiration of a 30 percent residential solar tax credit, originally set to phase out in 2034 but now ending this year. Meanwhile, California has steadily dialed back its own incentives for rooftop solar installations over the past several years.
Texas, by contrast, presents a rapidly expanding market for roofing-integrated solar products. A Realtor.com report from February noted the state accounted for 15 percent of all new housing permits issued nationwide in 2024. For a company seeking to reach homeowners at the moment they construct or replace a roof, that building surge creates a compelling business landscape far different from California’s current environment.
