First Solar to Supply 547 MW of Advanced Series 6 Plus Bifacial Thin Film PV Modules

First Solar, Inc. announced an agreement to supply Birch Creek Energy (Birch Creek) with 547 MW of advanced Series 6 Plus Bifacial thin film photovoltaics (PV) modules.

The St. Louis-based renewable energy company plans to deploy the modules in projects across its development pipeline in the United States.

“We are pleased to establish this relationship with First Solar, which we expect will enable certainty of module supply for a critical part of our development pipeline,” said Dan Siegel, CEO of Birch Creek. “By choosing to buy our modules from First Solar, we are strengthening our domestic content strategy with a trusted partner that delivers a competitive product.”

“Birch Creek’s decision to partner with us is a validation of our technology and competitiveness, and the value of pricing and supply certainty,” said Georges Antoun, chief commercial officer, First Solar. “We thank the team at Birch Creek for their trust and look forward to building on this relationship.”

First Solar, which exited 2023 with 6 GW of annual US nameplate capacity, is the largest solar manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere.

First Solar's investments in US manufacturing are also believed to make it the most significant enabler of American jobs among solar manufacturers. According to a recent study commissioned by First Solar, current operations supported an estimated 16,245 direct, indirect, and induced jobs in 2023, representing approximately USD 1.6 billion in annual labor income. As First Solar grows to an expected 14 GW in annual US nameplate capacity in 2026, the company is forecast to support an estimated 30,060 direct, indirect, and induced jobs across the country. The study projects that every direct job First Solar supports in 2026 will support 7.3 jobs nationwide.

In addition to expanding its Ohio footprint to over 7 GW of annual nameplate capacity this year, First Solar expects to invest over USD 2 billion in new manufacturing facilities in Alabama and Louisiana, which are expected to come online in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Additionally, First Solar is on track to commission approximately USD 450 million in R&D innovation infrastructure in Perrysburg, Ohio, in the second half of this year.