First Solar inks massive PPA with Dow Inc.

First Solar has come to terms with Dow Inc. on a power contract for 75% of the annual electricity generation at First Solar’s upcoming 200 MW Horizon Solar project in Frio County, Texas.

The contract is for 15 years and the power generated by the project will help to reduce emissions from Dow’s Gulf Coast operations. These operations include the company’s Texas Operations, home to the largest petrochemical site in the western hemisphere.

While a timetable for the project’s construction has not yet been made available, First Solar has shared that the project will be using the company’s Series 6 panels. The panels will feature Dow’s ENGAGE PV Polyolefin Elastomers, which are encapsulant films used to enhance the module’s performance and efficiency. Dow claims that the Elastomer can increase power generation, improve resistance to potential induced degradation and reduce the levelized cost of electricity, as well as overall system costs.

The project is anticipated to create approximately 350 jobs at peak of construction. The will generate enough power to supply 25,000 average Texas households and save 147,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

On Dow’s end, the signing of this power contract comes in pursuit of the company’s of goal of obtaining power from 750 MW of renewable sources by 2025.

Representatives from both companies cited “a common vision for a more sustainable planet and a long history of partnership” as being critical components for getting this deal accomplished. Dow specifically recognized First Solar’s commitment to cutting down on wasted water and recycling unused water, as the company prioritized sourcing energy from a project with the lowest possible carbon and water footprints.