First Solar continues signing exclusive thin-film module supply agreements with U.S. solar developers in the wake of crystalline-silicon solar panel supply shortages. The CdTe module maker has agreed to supply Tennessee-based Silicon Ranch with 4 GW of panels for projects installed between 2023 and 2025.
This significant agreement represents the latest milestone in the relationship between the two companies. The partnership began in 2015 when Silicon Ranch contracted with First Solar to supply the modules for its Aerojet Rocketdyne Solar Farm in Arkansas, the state’s first utility-scale solar project. The partnership has grown substantially across the United States since then, with over 30 projects totaling more than 1 GW.
“Silicon Ranch’s business model of long-term asset ownership demands that we emphasize best-in-class strategic partners and requires us to consider the future in every action we take, from the modules we buy all the way through to how we manage the land we occupy,” said Reagan Farr, co-founder and chief executive officer, Silicon Ranch. “Our customers care about the carbon impact of their procurement choices, and so do we at Silicon Ranch. We are already proving that we can sequester carbon on our sites through our Regenerative Energy model of land management, and this partnership with First Solar enables us to improve the carbon footprint of our module supply, while also supporting additional investment in US manufacturing capabilities.”
“Since the beginning of our relationship, it has been clear that Silicon Ranch recognizes the value of taking a long-term view on procuring solar technology,” said Georges Antoun, chief commercial officer, First Solar. “Long-term module supply agreements with a trusted partner provide a vital hedge against the pricing and supply uncertainties that have impacted the solar industry over the past few years.”
News item from First Solar
