Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic module maker First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA says that in early February it surpassed 6GWDC of capacity installed by its Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) group. The firm is currently installing 30-40MWDC per week on 2GWDC of active projects around the world.
Partnerships with strategic customers have enabled First Solar to continually lower the cost of utility-scale solar generation, says Alan Stringer, VP of global project management & construction services, who adds that First Solar is setting the pace in driving down the cost of balance of systems (BoS). For example, First Solar's application of 1500V inverters is rapidly becoming an industry standard, notes Stringer. Also, the firm's manufacturing heritage, combined with the scale of installing 6GW, has enabled First Solar to develop a 'manufacturing in the field' concept that helps to drive down BoS cost. "Power plant owners benefit from both the lower cost of utility-scale projects built by First Solar and the proven track record of innovation we bring to every project," says Stringer.
First Solar's inaugural EPC job was 2008's 10MWAC El Dorado Solar Project in Nevada, consisting of 220,000 modules, and taking nearly two years from groundbreaking to commissioning. In early 2015, First Solar completed construction of the 550MWAC Desert Sunlight Solar Project and the 550MWAC Topaz Solar Farms, each utilizing more than 8 million modules and built in about the same amount of time it took to construct El Dorado.
