9 June 2011

First Solar reaches 4GW manufacturing milestone

First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA, which makes thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) as well as providing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services, says that it has now manufactured 4GW of modules since it began commercial production in 2002. A 4GW generation capacity is enough solar electricity to power about 2 million households, displacing more than 2.5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions a year (the equivalent of taking 500,000 cars off the road).

The firm also says that its second factory in Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany has begun producing solar modules 1 month ahead of schedule. The four new production lines are still expected to ramp to full production during third-quarter 2011, bringing annual capacity at the two Frankfurt factories to more than 500MW.

First Solar also has manufacturing sites in Perrysburg, OH, USA and Kulim, Malaysia, as well as new plants under construction in Mesa, AZ, USA and Vietnam. It recently completed the production ramp of its two newest plants in Malaysia.

See related items:

First Solar’s second German factory to start production ahead of schedule in June

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Visit: www.firstsolar.com