First Solar, Inc. today announced that Longroad Energy has agreed to procure an additional 2 gigawatts (GW) of advanced thin film American solar modules. The order for responsibly produced solar modules, which are expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2029, builds on an existing 3.7 GW framework agreement between the two companies and increases Longroad Energy's total procurement of First Solar thin film modules to approximately 8 GW since 2017.
"Longroad Energy and First Solar share a longstanding partnership that's based on shared values and a common vision for a sustainable energy future," said Michael Alvarez, co-founder and chief operating officer, Longroad Energy. "By expanding our procurement of First Solar's advanced thin film technology, we are extending our commitment to responsibly produced renewable energy technologies and to American solar manufacturing and domestic value chains."
First Solar's responsibly produced, advanced thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules set industry benchmarks for quality, durability, reliability, design, and environmental performance. First Solar's solar modules have the lowest carbon and water footprint of any commercially available PV module today, and it's the first PV manufacturer to have its product included in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) global registry for sustainable electronics.
First Solar is the only one of the world's ten largest solar manufacturers to be a member of the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), the world's largest industry coalition dedicated to supporting the rights and well-being of workers and communities in the global supply chain, and the company has zero tolerance for forced labor in its manufacturing or its supply chains. The company is believed to be the first among the world's largest solar manufacturers to have conducted third-party social audits across its operational global manufacturing footprint.
"Our ability to deliver certainty of pricing and supply, domestic manufacturing and supply chains, and a responsibly made solar module optimized for energy provides the value customers, such as Longroad, seek," said Georges Antoun, chief commercial officer, First Solar. "We are thrilled that Longroad Energy has decided to underpin its continued growth with First Solar's technology and look forward to growing this partnership."
Since the start of this decade, First Solar has embarked on a manufacturing expansion strategy that has seen it grow from approximately 6 GW in 2020 to 13 GW of global operational nameplate capacity today, with further expansion expected to take it to 25 GW of global nameplate capacity in 2026. First Solar commissioned its third Ohio factory earlier this year and is expected to complete a new facility in Alabama and the expansion of its existing Ohio footprint in 2024. The company has also announced that it will complete a fifth US facility, to be located in Louisiana, in the first half of 2026. Additionally, the company is investing up to $370 million in a dedicated R&D innovation center in Perrysburg, Ohio, which is expected to be completed next year.