SB Energy announces contract with First Solar

This order follows SB Energy’s original procurement of 1.7 GW of First Solar modules for five utility scale projects in Texas and California, US, which began construction in 2020, expanding SB Energy and First Solar’s partnership to a cumulative 3.2 GW of US solar projects.

SB Energy’s team has reached commercial operations on 1.3 GW across projects in Texas and California in the last six months, bringing enough reliable, clean energy online to power over 250 000 homes, and supported over 10 000 jobs, including 3000 direct jobs during construction. The remaining 0.4 GW of projects from the original 1.7 GW procurement are expected to reach commercial operations in 1H22.

Abhijeet Sathe, Co-CEO of SB Energy, said, “Providing flexible, renewable energy at scale is central to SB Energy’s mission to accelerate the clean energy transition. First Solar’s partnership and the incredible work of our team enabled us to bring 1.3 GW of new solar projects to commercial operations in 2021, making us the second largest in terms of new solar capacity added to the grid. We are excited to expand our partnership with First Solar as we enter our next phase of growth and continue to develop cutting-edge climate infrastructure and technology solutions.”

“At First Solar, we value long-term relationships based not simply on our ability to deliver a competitive, high-quality product that is a hedge against pricing and supply volatility but on trust and a shared vision,” said Georges Antoun, Chief Commercial Officer, First Solar. “We thank SB Energy for its trust in our technology and for investing in responsibly-produced American solar as they grow their platform in support of our country’s march towards a sustainable energy future.”

All 1.5 GW of the modules in the announced order will be produced in First Solar’s Ohio, US, manufacturing plant and support SB Energy’s plans to achieve 10 GW of renewable energy and storage projects in operation or under construction by the end of 2025.

Designed and developed at its research and development centres 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. First Solar also operates an advanced recycling programme that recovers more than 90% of CadTel semiconductor material for use in new modules.

Last year, First Solar announced that it will invest US$680 million to expand America’s domestic PV solar manufacturing capacity by 3.3 GW/y by building its third US manufacturing facility in Lake Township, Ohio. The new facility is expected to be commissioned in 1H23 and, when fully operational, will scale the company’s Northwest Ohio footprint to a total capacity of 6 GW/y, which is believed to make it the largest fully vertically integrated solar manufacturing complex outside of China.

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