News: Photovoltaics
1 March 2023
Silicon Ranch commits to extra 1.5GW of First Solar’s PV modules
Silicon Ranch of Nashville, TN, one of the USA’s largest independent power producers, has procured an additional 1.5GW of cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules from First Solar Inc. The Series 6 Plus modules were designed and developed at First Solar’s R&D facilities in California and Ohio, and in the USA are manufactured in Ohio.
The deal expands on a master supply agreement that includes a 4GW transaction announced in April 2022 and, more recently, a 700MW commitment announced in October. Whereas the prior agreements will supply Silicon Ranch projects through 2025, this latest expansion will serve projects in 2026 and 2027.
Over the past year, Silicon Ranch has committed to support domestic manufacturing and to lower the carbon impact of production through significant agreements with First Solar and Nextracker. The expanded partnership with First Solar enables Silicon Ranch to continue sourcing US solar technology from a manufacturer with facilities across the country. First Solar recently announced plans to build its fourth US module manufacturing facility in Alabama, further bolstering the domestic solar supply chain in the south-eastern United States, a region in which Silicon Ranch pioneered utility-scale solar development with the first large-scale solar projects in Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Kentucky.
“Silicon Ranch is a trusted partner that shares our position on supporting the domestic economy, and this expansion of our partnership supports the accelerated deployment of Responsible Solar in America,” says First Solar’s chief commercial officer Georges Antoun.
Silicon Ranch currently owns, operates and maintains more than 150 solar generating facilities in 15 states, from New York to California. Earlier this year, the firm announced that it had conducted a $600m equity raise.
Silicon Ranch and First Solar expand partnership with 4GW supply agreement spanning 2023-25
