Business

First Solar Bags 4.75 GW DC Module Orders

Silicon Ranch Wants 4 GW DC & Origis Energy 750 MW DC First Solar Modules

Anu Bhambhani
  • First Solar has secured 2 long term module supply orders in the US for a total capacity of 4.75 GW
  • While Silicon Ranch will buy 4 GW DC capacity, Origis Energy has placed an order for 750 MW DC
  • Both the long term contracts, to be delivered till 2025, will have the procurers benefiting from any advances in technology

American solar PV module manufacturer First Solar, Inc has secured a plum order, one of its largest, to supply 4 GW DC of its thin film PV modules to Silicon Ranch Corporation under a master supply agreement. The deal comes just a day after it announced a 750 MW DC supply order from solar and energy storage developer Origis Energy.

Shell backed independent power producer (IPP) Silicon Ranch will source First Solar panels for its US projects between 2023 and 2025. It is not a maiden arrangement between the 2 companies as their partnership for several other projects previously already adds up to more than 1 GW.

At the same time, Silicon Ranch has also contracted the module maker to provide recycling services for end-of-life CadTel modules of First Solar which the latter can use to manufacture newer modules.

First Solar has its commercial recycling facilities spread in the US, Germany, Malaysia and Vietnam.

The American supplier will also deliver 750 MW DC worth of solar modules to Origis Energy by 2024. First Solar says this order was booked before it released its Q4/2021 and full year 2021 earnings in February 2022 and reflects its 'agile contracting approach' (see First Solar's 2021 Financial Results).

Origis Energy's Chief Investment Officer and Operations Officer Samir Verstyn said these modules will be used for its projects catering to the utility and corporate customers across America. First Solar has previously supplied over 1.5 GW DC of its thin film modules to Origis Energy.

Under the 2 long term contracts, both Silicon Ranch as well as Origis Energy will benefit from any advances in technology through 2024 as the module maker expands and improves its manufacturing capacity in the US and India. The new Ohio fab, 3rd in the state for First Solar, is scheduled to come online in H1/2023 taking its total annual production capacity in Ohio to 6 GW which it claims will make it the largest fully integrated solar manufacturing complex outside of China.

First Solar also operates its fabs in Vietnam and Malaysia and is also building a 3.3 GW facility in India which is due to start commercial operations in H2/2023. Altogether it aims to grow nameplate manufacturing capacity to 16 GW by 2024.