Selected by First Solar Inc. Alabama’s Lawrence County as the location for America’s fourth photovoltaic solar module manufacturing facility. The new factory is part of the first announced investment to scale First Solar’s American manufacturing footprint to more than 10 GW DC by 2025.
The planned factory in the Mallard Fox Industrial Park in Lawrence County represents an investment of approximately $ 1.1 billion and is expected to be commissioned in 2025, with a planned annual capacity of 3.5 GW DC. The new fully vertically integrated facility will join three factories in Ohio, including one scheduled to come online in the first half of 2023, to be part of First Solar’s expanded domestic manufacturing footprint.
“First Solar is a world-class manufacturer, and its solar modules are poised to play an increasingly important role in US self-energy,” said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. “I’m excited to see the company’s growth project heading to Lawrence County because I know it will create good jobs and have a big economic impact on this rural region.”
Designed and developed at its research and development (R&D) centers in California and Ohio, First Solar’s advanced thin film PV modules set industry benchmarks for quality, durability, reliability, design, and environmental performance. .
“The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 puts America firmly on the path to a sustainable energy future,” said Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar. “This facility, along with its sister factories in Ohio, will be part of the industrial foundation that will help ensure this transition is powered by American innovation and creativity.”
