First Solar Opens New Module Manufacturing Unit In US

American solar module maker First Solar opened its $1.1 billion solar manufacturing facility in Lawrence County, Alabama. The new manufacturing plant adds 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of solar production capacity and is expected to create over 800 high-tech jobs in the region. First Solar has been a key beneficiary of the move to reduce dependence on Chinese imports for Solar equipment, particularly modules, with its proprietary technology that does not depend on Chinese suppliers to make as well. The IRA has only further   strengthened the firms position by offering incentives and protection from lower cost Chinese imports.

First Solar currently has manufacturing facilities in the US (Ohio), Malaysia, Vietnam, and India. In India, it is the only foreign player to feature into the MNRE’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). Unlike other conventional Silicon-based solar modules, First Solar is into the production of Cadmium-based thin film solar modules.

The firm claims that new Alabama facility is likely to transform a sheet of glass into ready-to-ship solar panels in four hours, all within a tightly controlled, vertically integrated process. It uses locally sourced steel and implements strict quality controls. First Solar’s total investment in US manufacturing now amounts to about $4 billion. A study by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette estimates that by 2026, when First Solar reaches 14 GW in annual capacity, the company is expected to support over 30,000 jobs and generate $2.8 billion in annual labor income across the country.

“This facility marks a significant step forward for Lawrence County and the US solar industry,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “The workers here are helping reduce our reliance on foreign-made solar panels, strengthening America’s energy independence.”

First Solar’s Alabama plant joins three existing factories in Ohio, boosting US production capacity to nearly 11 GW, with a global capacity expected to surpass 21 GW once fully operational. By 2026, with an additional $1.1 billion facility in Louisiana scheduled to come online, First Solar anticipates having 14 GW of annual capacity in the US and 25 GW worldwide.

“These facilities solidify the Gulf Coast’s role in driving America’s energy future,” said Mark Widmar, First Solar’s CEO. “We are not only building solar panels with US-sourced materials but also shaping the next generation of American energy workers.”

Alabama’s clean energy sector continues to expand, and First Solar’s new plant strengthens the state’s leadership in the U.S. renewable energy landscape.