TEMPE, AZ—First Solar Inc. is investing up to $1.1 billion to construct its fifth manufacturing facility in the USA, further expanding America’s capacity to produce its own photovoltaic (PV) solar modules.

First Solar’s planned fully vertically integrated facility is expected to grow the company’s manufacturing capacity by 3.5 gigawatts (GW) to reach approximately 14 GW in the USA and 25 GW globally in 2026, the company said in a news release July 27.

First Solar has not yet chosen a location for the new facility, which it expects to be completed and commissioned in the first half of 2026. The facility’s completion in 2026 is contingent upon obtaining necessary permits and approvals.

The facility will produce First Solar’s Series 7 modules, which are expected to be manufactured with 100-percent U.S.-made components identified in the current domestic content guidance issued by the Department of Treasury.

Once the new factory is completed and ramped, Series 7 modules will account for over two-thirds of the company’s annual domestic nameplate capacity. The Series 7 modules are currently produced at First Solar’s Ohio facility with domestic-made glass and steel.

“This decision is underpinned by robust fundamentals, including an order backlog of approximately 78 gigawatts, the industry’s strongest balance sheet, a repeatable vertically integrated manufacturing template, and a proven technology platform,” First Solar CEO Mark Widmar said. “With this investment, we continue to help deliver on the promise of the Inflation Reduction Act, which is to create enduring value for our country. By expanding America’s solar manufacturing base, and the value chains that support it, we are working to ensure that the U.S. enters the next decade in a position of strength, fully capable of producing the technology it needs to complete its transition to a sustainable energy future.”

Over the past year, First Solar said it has committed to over $2.8 billion in capital investment and 7.9 GW of additional manufacturing capacity in the country. The company had previously announced an approximately $1.3 billion investment in a new 3.5 GW manufacturing facility in Alabama and a 0.9 GW expansion of its existing manufacturing footprint in Ohio, both of which are expected to be completed at the end of 2024.