First Solar Inc. has signed an agreement to supply 2.4GWDC of its high-performance thin-film PV solar modules to Intersect Power LLC. The modules are scheduled to be delivered from 2024 to 2026, making Intersect Power, which previously placed orders for a total of 4.1 GW DC, in 2019 and 2021, one of the world’s largest buyers and operators of First Solar’s module technology with approximately 6.4 GW DC expected to be deployed by 2027.
The modules will be deployed in Intersect Power’s solar, storage and green hydrogen projects coming online across the United States in 2025 through 2027. A large proportion of the modules are expected to be produced in First Solar’s Northwest Ohio manufacturing complex.
“Intersect Power’s ongoing relationship with First Solar has been critical in rapidly scaling our business to meet our vision and reliably delivering our customers value and performance to support their decarbonization goals,” said Sheldon Kimber, chief executive officer, Intersect Power. “We look forward to bringing this large-scale portfolio to operation, and creating good-paying, American jobs in both construction and manufacturing with First Solar’s domestically-produced modules.”
Designed and developed at its research and development (R&D) centers in California and Ohio, First Solar’s responsibly produced advanced thin film PV modules set industry benchmarks for quality, durability, reliability, design and environmental performance. The modules have a carbon footprint of 2.5 times less and a water footprint of three times that of a typical crystalline silicon solar panel produced with cells from China.
First Solar also runs an advanced high value recycling program. This program recovers approximately 90% Cadmium Telluride (CadTel), semiconductor material. This material can then be used to produce new modules, as a substitute for aluminum, glass, or laminates. The company currently has commercial recycling facilities in the U.S.A., Germany and Malaysia.
“Intersect Power sets an important example by maximizing the impact of its investments on the U.S. economy without compromising on competitiveness,” says Georges Antoun, chief commercial officer at First Solar. “By powering its growth with American solar, Intersect Power is directly supporting U.S. manufacturing and jobs and enabling a durable domestic supply chain. It is also demonstrating the ability of American solar technology not just to compete, but to help drive our country’s transition to a sustainable energy future.”