First Solar plans new 3.7-GW US Series 6 facility manufacturing

• First Solar will build a 3.7-GW US plant to finish Series 6 module production started overseas, strengthening domestic content, logistics and energy-security goals.

US thin-film leader First Solar plans to add a 3.7-GW manufacturing facility in the United States to complete (finish) production of its Series 6 modules that begins at overseas factories. The move effectively “onshores” the back-end steps—lamination, assembly, and quality assurance—so finished modules roll off a US line ready for delivery to utility-scale sites.

Strategically, the plant tightens First Solar’s supply chain at a time when developers prize domestic content for grid resiliency and potential tax-credit bonuses. Completing production in the US reduces shipping time, mitigates customs risk, and simplifies warranty logistics for projects with tight notice-to-proceed windows. It also expands capacity for a product family that has become a staple on large single-axis tracker sites across the country.

The company’s cadmium telluride (CdTe) technology is distinct from crystalline silicon modules. In high-temperature, high-irradiance regions, CdTe’s temperature coefficient can translate to stronger real-world yield; thin-film panels also bring inherent bifacial-like diffuse-light response and low-light performance benefits. In practice, plant-level controllers, grid-forming inverters, and carefully chosen DC/AC ratios turn those module characteristics into dependable megawatt-hours at the point of interconnection.

For US buyers, domestic finishing can help with qualification for certain Inflation Reduction Act incentives—subject to prevailing guidance—and supports project finance by improving schedule certainty. Expect the facility to feature automated optical inspection, inline electroluminescence testing, and end-of-line flash checks to meet bankability standards. Workforce development will be part of the rollout, pairing technician training with strict EHS protocols typical of high-volume PV lines.

Downstream, the extra capacity should ease pressure on delivery calendars, especially during summer build seasons when transformers and switchgear already set the critical path. By aligning overseas front-end steps with US finishing, First Solar can stage shipments and smooth inventories without overburdening project laydown areas.

Bottom line: the 3.7-GW plant is less about a headline number and more about control—of timelines, quality, and eligibility—so that Series 6 modules arrive on US job sites exactly when EPCs need them.