First Solar, Inc. has inaugurated its new $1.1 billion fully vertically integrated thin-film solar manufacturing facility in Lawrence County, Alabama. The facility adds 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of solar manufacturing capacity to the U.S. and is set to create over 800 new jobs in the energy technology sector.
With the addition of the Lawrence County plant, alongside its three existing factories in Ohio, First Solar’s domestic nameplate manufacturing capacity will reach nearly 11 GW, while its global capacity will surpass 21 GW once fully operational. As the largest fully vertically integrated solar manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere, First Solar is also building a $1.1 billion, 3.5 GW facility in Louisiana, slated for commissioning in the second half of 2025.
By the end of 2026, First Solar aims to achieve over 14 GW of annual manufacturing capacity in the U.S. and 25 GW globally.“This is the first of two fully vertically integrated solar manufacturing facilities that solidify the role of the Gulf Coast states in enabling America’s all-of-the above energy strategy,” said Mark Widmar, chief executive officer, First Solar. “This energy technology manufacturing facility produces American solar panels, with American-made components sourced from a supply chain that spans the country. The hundreds of people that operate this facility represent the next generation of American energy workers and are joined by thousands more steelworkers, glassworkers, miners, truck drivers, railroad workers, and others that enable our mission to support our country’s energy security.”
“This represents a great day for First Solar and for Lawrence County because this production facility is destined to become a major player in the US renewable energy market,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “Moreover, the Alabama workers at this facility will help break the nation’s dependence on foreign-made solar panels and contribute to our energy independence.”
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