Alabama to become home of First Solar's 4th US module factory

US thin-film photovoltaics (PV) maker First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR) will build a 3.5-GW DC vertically integrated module production facility in Alabama, planning an overall investment of around USD 1.1 billion (EUR 1.06bn).

The factory will be located in an industrial park in Lawrence County, North Alabama, and is expected to become operational by 2025, First Solar said on Wednesday.

The opening of the plant is expected to create 700 new direct jobs.

The new project is part of a wider expansion initiative for First Solar’s US manufacturing footprint to reach more than 10 GW by 2025. It will create the company’s fourth production site in the US, adding to its three sites in Ohio where it also intends to establish a dedicated research and development (R&D) innovation centre.

One of the production plants is still under construction and is planned to be commissioned in the first half of next year, while expansion works are undergoing at two operating factories in Perrysburg and Lake Township, Northwest Ohio, to add 0.9 GW DC to their Series 6 module manufacturing capabilities.

With the new plan, unveiled in August, First Solar’s total investment in US manufacturing will come at USD 4 billion, it estimates.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.959)

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