Image: First Solar

First Solar, a pioneering thin-film manufacturer headquartered in the United States, has recently inaugurated its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in India, boasting a formidable capacity of 3.3 gigawatts (GW).

Located in Tamil Nadu, this cutting-edge plant specializes in the production of First Solar’s Series 7 thin-film cadmium telluride (CaTe) modules. These advanced modules were meticulously developed at First Solar’s research and development centers in the United States, with specific optimizations tailored to cater to the unique demands of the Indian solar market.

Beyond module production, this groundbreaking manufacturing hub also features India’s inaugural solar photovoltaic (PV) recycling facility, setting a new benchmark for sustainability in the industry. This facility possesses the capability to provide closed-loop semiconductor recovery for the creation of new modules. Additionally, it’s equipped to reclaim valuable materials such as aluminum, glass, and laminates, further enhancing its eco-friendly credentials.

The establishment of this manufacturing powerhouse represented a substantial investment, totaling approximately $700 million, with a noteworthy contribution of $500 million from the US International Development Finance Corporation. This facility marks the sixth operational manufacturing plant for First Solar, complementing its existing module production sites in the United States, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

First Solar is proud to assert that the modules manufactured at this facility exhibit a significantly reduced carbon and water footprint, amounting to only one-fourth of that associated with conventional crystalline silicon solar panels, often manufactured in China.

T. R. B. Rajaa, the Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion, and Commerce Department in Tamil Nadu, lauded the manufacturing plant’s exemplary sustainability standards and advanced manufacturing practices. He emphasized that this facility aligns perfectly with India’s vision of achieving self-sufficiency in cutting-edge solar technology.

In September 2023, First Solar initiated construction on a state-of-the-art, fully integrated manufacturing plant in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, with an impressive investment of $1.1 billion. This plant is designed to have a capacity of 3.5 GW, and initial deliveries of First Solar’s Series 7 modules are expected to commence from this new facility in the first half of 2026.

By the end of 2023, First Solar proudly boasted a nameplate capacity exceeding 16 GW. Moreover, the company has ambitious plans to reach a global annual nameplate capacity of 25 GW by the year 2026.

In November 2023, Finlay Colville, the head of research at PV Tech, published an article suggesting that First Solar could emerge as the sole profitable supplier of high-volume PV modules in 2024. Colville’s analysis shed light on the potential reasons behind First Solar’s projected success in 2024, highlighting how the concurrent decline in conventional crystalline silicon technology could catalyze policymakers and industry stakeholders to rethink their global competitive strategies.