First Solar has inaugurated a new research and development (R&D) center in Lake Township, Ohio. The Jim Nolan Center for Solar Innovation is the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, covering 1.3 million square feet. The center includes a high-tech pilot production line, enabling the production of full-scale prototypes of thin-film and tandem photovoltaic modules.
A strategic investment
This project is part of an investment of around half a billion dollars in R&D infrastructure in the United States. Prior to this inauguration, First Solar used a manufacturing line in Perrysburg for the development of its latest-phase products, limiting flexibility and creating constraints during critical tool shutdowns.
Accelerating innovation
The commissioning of this new center should speed up innovation cycles by eliminating these limitations. According to Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar, “thin films are the next technological battleground for the solar industry, as they are essential to the commercialization of tandem devices”. This initiative is designed to maintain the United States’ strategic advantage in thin film.
Projects and prospects
In addition to the Jim Nolan Center, First Solar plans to commission a perovskite development line at its Perrysburg campus in the second half of 2024. The company recently achieved a new world record with a 23.1% efficient CdTe cell, certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Economic impact and growth
First Solar expects its R&D infrastructure investments to create around 300 new jobs by 2025, the majority of which will be located at the Jim Nolan Center. According to a recent study by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the company supported around 16,245 direct, indirect and induced jobs in 2023, representing around $1.6 billion in annual labor income. With a projected annual U.S. nameplate capacity of 14 GW by 2026, First Solar is expected to support around 30,060 jobs across the country, representing $2.8 billion in annual labor income.
