SolAmerica Energy, LLC has entered into an agreement to procure 205 megawatts (MW)DC of high-performance, responsibly produced Series 6 Plus and Series 7 thin film solar modules from First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR). The deal was booked prior to the release of First Solar’s Q3 2023 earnings, and the modules are scheduled to be delivered in 2024 and 2025.
Atlanta-based SolAmerica Energy intends to deploy these modules across a portfolio of community solar projects, three commercial and industrial projects, and a portfolio of projects that will supply municipal utilities and electric cooperatives.
“We are excited to announce the expansion of our commercial relationship with First Solar and in turn, our commitment to US-developed and responsibly produced solar technology”, commented Tully Blalock, CEO, SolAmerica Energy. “These modules will be deployed in projects across the country, including the Midwest, where the majority of the modules in the agreement are manufactured. SolAmerica is all-in on buying American solar and this agreement is the centerpiece of that commitment.”
First Solar’s responsibly produced, advanced thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules set industry benchmarks for quality, durability, reliability, design, and environmental performance. The company’s solar modules have the lowest carbon and water footprint of any commercially available PV module today, and it’s the first PV manufacturer to have its product included in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) global registry for sustainable electronics.
“First Solar is proud that SolAmerica Energy has selected our technology,” stated Dana Kennard, Director, Business Development, First Solar. “By powering their near-term pipeline with American innovated and manufactured solar, SolAmerica Energy is directly supporting US manufacturing and the domestic solar supply chain.”
First Solar is the largest solar manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere, with approximately 6 GW of operational, fully vertically integrated nameplate capacity in the US. The company has embarked on an expansion strategy that is forecast to grow its footprint to 14 GW of nameplate capacity in the US and 25 GW globally by 2026. In addition to its third Ohio factory, commissioned in 2023, First Solar anticipates further expanding its footprint in the state by 0.9 GW while building new manufacturing facilities in Alabama and Louisiana, each with an expected annual nameplate capacity of 3.5 GW.
