US-based First Solar announced on January 13 that renewable energy developer Swift Current has placed an order for 1.2GW of its PV modules. First Solar will deliver these modules to Swift Current during the 2023-2024 period. Also based in the US, Swift Current has developed and commercialized 1GW of clean energy projects. It also possesses a pipeline of more than 6GW for PV, wind, and energy storage projects under development in North America. Last April, Buckeye Partners and Nala Renewables together acquired a majority stake in Swift Current.
George Antoun, chief commercial officer of First Solar, said that Swift Current has adopted a “responsible approach” to project development by procuring the technology offered by his company. Antoun stressed that as a US-based manufacturer for PV products, First Solar provides not only advanced and reliable solutions but also “long-term pricing and supply commitments” to compatriot project developers.
First Solar is undertaking major expansions, aiming to double its current nameplate production capacity to 16GW per year by 2024. It is building its third manufacturing plant in the US. The plant, which is located in Lake Township, Ohio, will have an annual production capacity of 3.3GW and is touted as the largest vertically integrated PV manufacturing complex outside China. The investment in the plant reaches US$680 million. Construction began last August, and the plant is scheduled for operation in the first half of next year. With the third plant, First Solar’s annual production capacity in Northwest Ohio will surpass 6GW.
Besides building factories in the home country, First Solar is also aggressively setting up overseas production capacity. Last December, it successfully obtained a US$500 million loan from the US International Development Finance Corporation to build another 3.3GW vertically integrated manufacturing complex in Tamil Nadu, India. It also has operational facilities in Malaysia and Vietnam.
First Solar is one of the few PV product manufacturers that promote thin-film CdTe cells. The company has developed this technology with the support of the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory. According to its advocates, the technology has advanced to the point where it is stable, reliable, efficient, and cost-competitive. Nevertheless, c-Si cells (i.e., mono-Si) remain the leader in terms of cost and conversion efficiency. Furthermore, cadmium is toxic, while tellurium is relatively difficult to obtain.