The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has secured 279 MW of DC advanced thin film solar panels The first sun For its planned Lawrence County Solar Project in Lawrence County, Ala., which is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027.
The project reflects TVA’s increasing emphasis on solar energy in the region. By 2025, the site is slated to become one of the largest fully vertically integrated solar manufacturing facilities in the United States, as First Solar deploys its fourth American plant.
“As America’s Solar Company, we are pleased to have our technology at work in the Lawrence County solar project,” said Georges Antoun, CCO, First Solar. “As we scale our manufacturing footprint and supply chains, it is vital that the communities in which we operate benefit from the job creation, economic value and clean electricity generated by our solar technology.”
Arizona-headquartered First Solar is investing about $1.3 billion to expand its U.S. production from more than 6.5 GW of DC annual capacity today to about 10.9 GW of DC by 2026.
In addition to the $1.1 billion investment in the new 3.5 GW DC Lawrence County facility, the company has also begun a $185 million expansion of its current production facility in Ohio. First Solar, the largest solar manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere, also announced an investment of up to $370 million in a dedicated research and development innovation center in Perrysburg, Ohio, which is expected to be completed in 2024.
Photo: First Solar Inc.
