Longroad Energy Extends Agreement with First Solar, Increases Orders by 2 GW

First Solar, Inc. announced that Longroad Energy, a US-based renewable energy developer, owner, and operator, has agreed to procure an additional 2 gigawatts (GW) of advanced thin film American solar modules.

The order for responsibly produced solar modules, which are expected to be delivered between 2027 and 2029, builds on an existing 3.7 GW framework agreement between the two companies and increases Longroad Energy’s total procurement of First Solar thin film modules to approximately 8 GW since 2017.

“Longroad Energy and First Solar share a longstanding partnership that’s based on shared values and a common vision for a sustainable energy future,” said Michael Alvarez, co-founder and COO, Longroad Energy. “By expanding our procurement of First Solar’s advanced thin film technology, we are extending our commitment to responsibly produced renewable energy technologies and to American solar manufacturing and domestic value chains.”

First Solar’s responsibly produced, advanced thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules set industry benchmarks for quality, durability, reliability, design, and environmental performance.

First Solar’s solar modules have the lowest carbon and water footprint of any commercially available PV module today, and it’s the first PV manufacturer to have its product included in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) global registry for sustainable electronics.

“Our ability to deliver certainty of pricing and supply, domestic manufacturing and supply chains, and a responsibly made solar module optimized for energy provides the value customers, such as Longroad, seek,” said Georges Antoun, chief commercial officer, First Solar.

Since the start of this decade, First Solar has embarked on a manufacturing expansion strategy that has seen it grow from approximately 6 GW in 2020 to 13 GW of global operational nameplate capacity today, with further expansion expected to take it to 25 GW of global nameplate capacity in 2026.

First Solar commissioned its third Ohio factory earlier this year and is expected to complete a new facility in Alabama and the expansion of its existing Ohio footprint in 2024. The company has also announced that it will complete a fifth US facility, to be located in Louisiana, in the first half of 2026. Additionally, the company is investing up to $370 million in a dedicated R&D innovation center in Perrysburg, OH, which is expected to be completed next year.