News: Photovoltaics
27 October 2022
First Solar to supply 2GW of PV modules to Swift Current Energy
First Solar has agreed to supply 2GWDC of its thin-film solar modules in 2025 and 2026 to Boston-headquartered Swift Current Energy, which develops, owns and operates utility-scale wind, solar and energy storage projects across the USA.
The deal represents Swift Current’s second gigawatt-plus order for First Solar modules, following an order in January for 1.27GWDC. Founded in 2016, Swift Current has commercialized over 1GW of renewable energy projects, including utility-scale solar and wind. The firm also has a growing pipeline of over 9GW of planned renewable assets across North America.
“With the US rapidly advancing its energy infrastructure, our project pipeline is growing and we’re focused on ensuring that our capacity comes online as planned,” says Swift Current Energy’s CEO Eric Lammers. “Against this backdrop, it’s crucial that we work with partners like First Solar that will deliver not only high-quality, responsibly made products but also certainty of supply,” he adds.
“As America’s energy transition gathers pace, it must be underpinned by supply chains that are reliable and robust, and our customers recognize that First Solar is well positioned to provide the long-term certainty they need,” says First Solar’s chief commercial officer Georges Antoun. “Swift Current’s latest order demonstrates that our commitment to Responsible Solar and enabling certainty for our customers are key drivers of demand.”
Designed and developed at its R&D centers in California and Ohio, First Solar’s thin-film PV modules are claimed to set industry benchmarks for quality, durability, reliability, design and environmental performance. The company continues to optimize the amount of semiconductor material used by enhancing its vapor deposition process through continued investment in R&D focused on more efficient module technology with a thinner semiconductor layer. First Solar also operates a recycling program that provides closed-loop semiconductor recovery for use in new modules.
Already the only US-headquartered company among the world’s largest solar manufacturers, First Solar is expanding its manufacturing capacity at home and abroad. In addition to a third factory under construction in Ohio, at the end of August the firm announced an investment of up to $1.2bn in expanding its Ohio manufacturing footprint and a new manufacturing facility (its fourth American manufacturing facility) in the US Southeast. This latest investment is expected to bring First Solar’s total investment in American manufacturing to $4bn, while its annual US manufacturing capacity is forecasted to expand to over 10GW by 2025.
In addition to its Ohio manufacturing facilities, First Solar also operates factories in Vietnam and Malaysia, and is building its first new manufacturing facility in India (with a capacity of 3.3GW), which is scheduled to begin operations in second-half 2023. On completion of its expansion plans in the USA and India, the firm expects to have over 20GWDC of annual global manufacturing capacity in 2025.
First Solar investing $1.2bn to scale up production of US-made PV modules by 4.4GW
First Solar breaks ground on $680m, 3.3GW Ohio manufacturing facility
