US solar module producer First solar has signed a deal with Israel based renewables company Energix Renewables to supply it with 5 GW DC of its PV panels between 2026 and 2030, and will also be part of module recycling for the latter on decommissioning.
Counting more than 7 GW of solar projects under development in its kitty, spread across Israel, Poland and the US, Energix says this is the group's largest deal ever. Before this, Energix has bought more than 3.5 GW DC First Solar capacity since 2017.
It plans to deploy these modules for its projects in the 3 above-mentioned nations. Energix says built on existing orders, the deal will see it operate more than 7 GW to 9 GW of First Solar Technology by 2030.
"This deal, our largest ever, strongly reflects the long-term strategic partnership we share with First Solar," said Energix CEO Asa (Asi) Levinger. "It also constitutes a significant milestone for Energix's long-term growth, as we rapidly expand our global pipeline, with an emphasis on the United States."
As part of the deal, First Solar will also process end-of-life modules from Energix through its Recycling Services program which the manufacturer says 'provides closed-loop semiconductor recovery for use in new modules, while also recovering other materials including aluminum, glass, and laminates'.
At the end of Q1/2023, First Solar said it was booked through 2026 and that its YTD contracted backlog extended into 2029. Its backlog was 69.4 GW till March 2023-end, and total booking backlog added up to 71.6 GW (see First Solar's Q1/2023 Net Sales Tumble Sequentially).