First Solar inks 5 GW supply deal with Energix

Energix Renewables signed an order for 5 GW of First Solar modules to be supplied between 2026 and 2030. The cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules will be used for project under development in Israel, Poland and the United States.

First Solar continues to book module orders well into the future as demand for U.S.-made solar components remains red hot due to domestic manufacturing incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act and an increased emphasis on renewables in utilities and corporate procurement plans.

The procurement deal includes a contract with First Solar’s recycling service division to handle end-of-life management of decommissioned modules. The recycling service involves closed-loop semiconductor recovery for use in new modules, while also recovering other materials including aluminum, glass, and laminates. First Solar’s CdTe thin-film modules have among the lowest carbon and water footprint of any commercially available PV module today.

“As we grow our pipeline, we want a trusted partner that will not compromise on quality, its commitments, or principles, and that partner is First Solar,” said Asa (Asi) Levinger, chief executive officer, Energix.

The company’s CdTe technology certified a new record in Q1 2023 with a conversion efficiency of 22.3%. A $370 million investment will lead to the creation of a new research and development center in Perrysburg, Ohio, which is expected to be completed in 2024.

First Solar is investing about $1.3 billion in expanding U.S. manufacturing from 6.5 GW of annual nameplate capacity to over 10.9 GW by 2026. Much of this investment is directed toward the $1.1 billion, 3.5 GW annual output facility in Alabama. Another $185 million is being directed toward expanding First Solar’s existing manufacturing facility in Ohio.

As some traditional crystalline polysilicon-based panels face global supply chain challenges and exemptions from participation in the U.S. market, project developers are turning to First Solar’s differentiated CdTe supply chain with strong traceability.

“This is another example of a large, sophisticated player choosing to de-risk its development portfolio by working with us,” said Georges Antoun, chief commercial officer, First Solar. “They recognize that they do not simply get a high-quality, high-performance, responsibly-produced PV module, but a trusted partner and long-term pricing and supply certainty, which are rarities in the solar industry.”

Energix is a large global renewable energy developer with operations in the U.S., Poland and Israel, with an active development portfolio of over 8.5 GW of generation and 7 GW energy storage. The company has 850 projects under or near construction and 867 MW of operational projects.