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First Solar

CdTe thin-film modules, US manufacturing

USpublicest. 1999firstsolar.com (opens firstsolar.com)Checked 25 Sep

The brief

Analyst view
  • The only top-10 panel maker not using silicon, so it avoids Chinese polysilicon supply chains.
  • Opened new US factories in Alabama and Louisiana in 2024-2025, helped by IRA manufacturing credits.
  • Bought Swedish perovskite developer Evolar in 2023 to pursue tandem cells.
Programs

First Solar, two programs

Updated 1 Jul 2025
Series 7 CdTe moduleLarge CdTe panels for big solar farms, with a copper-replacement back contact (CuRe) that slows ageing.ScalingUpdated 1 Jul 2025View program →Perovskite and tandem cellsResearch on perovskite films and stacked (tandem) cells with CdTe or other layers, to catch more sunlight than a single layer can.ResearchNextPilot-scale tandem developmentUpdated 1 May 2023View program →
Research · Proto · Pilot · Deploy · Scaling

Company & funding

HQ
US
Founded
1999
Primer