First Solar Supports Solar Decathlon Europe 2010

First Solar Inc. is sponsoring the Solar Decathlon Europe for the first time.

The extensive participation of First Solar at the Solar Decathlon, an international competition for energy-autonomous houses in Madrid, includes sponsoring the event and a First Solar-led industry forum, as well as supplying its innovative, thin film PV modules for the architecturally impressive Solar Decathlon pergola.

The First Solar PV modules on the pergola produce clean, green solar energy equivalent to the needs of three average Spanish families.

First Solar modules generate electricity with practically no water, no emissions, and no waste production during operation, and perform exceptionally well under diffuse light and high temperature conditions. This results in a higher energy yield at dawn and dusk and on roofs with a less than optimal orientation towards the sun.

In addition to offering the best value in the industry in terms of costs per watt, First Solar is continuously looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact of its technology across the entire solar value chain. First Solar has developed and implemented the industry’s first pre-funded collection and recycling program for solar modules.

With more than 1GW of fully integrated production capacity this year, First Solar is the largest PV module manufacturer in the world. The company operates in more than 15 countries and is the only pure solar company in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index. First Solar is active in the European market, with major solar projects in Spain, Germany, Italy, and France, as well as a manufacturing plant in Germany and plans to build one in France.