First Solar outsourcing US EPC to third-party providers

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic module maker First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA is transitioning away from its internal engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) execution model in the USA, and moving towards leveraging the capabilities of trusted EPC partners.

The transition to leveraging third-party EPC services will occur through the rest of 2019 and will not impact any projects under construction and slated for delivery this year.

First Solar is expanding its manufacturing capacity to meet the demand for Series 6 modules, with its second facility in the USA – representing nearly $1bn in cumulative investment – expected to start production in early-2020. Once operational, the new facility in Perrysburg, Ohio, will boost aggregate Series 6 manufacturing capacity to 5.4GW per year, making First Solar the USA’s largest solar manufacturer.

“This transition, which mirrors the technology shift to the large-format Series 6 module, marks the natural evolution of our long-term growth strategy,” says CEO Mark Widmar. “While self-performed EPC was necessary to optimize our earlier-generation modules, the seamless compatibility of Series 6 with industry systems and processes now allows us to leverage a much broader external ecosystem of knowledge and expertise,” he adds.

“This shift will allow us to concentrate on our core business of scaling, developing and selling our world-class module technology while executing on our project development pipeline with the same level of service that our customers have come to expect,” Widmar concludes.

The transition will impact about 100 associates at various stages of the process, who will be provided with compensatory and outplacement support.

Tags: First Solar Thin-film photovoltaic CdTe

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