First Solar announces expansion plans

Plans by First Solar, Inc. to increase production of photovoltaic solar modules in the U.S. include investing $185 million to expand the capacity of its three facilities in Perrysburg and Lake Township.
The company last week announced it plans to invest up to $1.2 billion to increase production capacity in the U.S., including the opening of a fourth U.S. plant in the southeastern portion of the country by 2025.
“This investment is an important step towards achieving self-sufficiency in solar technology, which, in turn, supports America’s energy security ambitions, its deployment of solar at scale, and its ability to lead with innovation. We are proud of the fact that our manufacturing presence in the US is expected to directly and indirectly support over 18,000 jobs across the country by 2025, while our manufacturing investment will add an estimated $3.2 billion in value to the U.S. economy, reflecting the impact of solar manufacturing on our country. We are investing in America’s future,” said Mark Widmar, chief executive officer.
Company management expects to invest $1 billion in the new facility.
In addition, First Solar is looking to expand its manufacturing foot print in Northwest Ohio by 0.9 gigawatts. The company will expand the capacity of its operating plants in Perrysburg and Lake Township by 0.6 gigawatts to 3.6 gigawatts of its series six module annual capacity. It will also expand its third Ohio factory, also located in Lake Township and expected to be operating in the first half of 2023, to 3.5 gigawatt series seven module annual capacity.
The new investments will add about 850 new manufacturing jobs, the company said, raising its total number of jobs in the U.S. to more than 3,000 workers in four states by 2025.
On its last earnings call in late July, the company announced a record booking backlog of 44.3 gigawatts.
The company’s thin film modules are designed at its research and development centers in California and Ohio.
The company also operates factories in Vietnam and Malaysia and is constructing a new manufacturing facility in India, which is scheduled to begin operations in the second half of 2023.