At the inaugural Malaysia Greentech Awards ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on 12 October, First Solar Inc of Tempe, AZ, USA, which manufactures thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules based on cadmium telluride (CdTe), was recognized as the Gold Award winner in the manufacturing category. First Solar Malaysia earned the award for its “continuous commitment to excellence in green technology manufacturing practices and infusing elements of sustainability and nature preservation into its operations”.
As a highlight of the third International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM), the Greentech Awards program is an initiative to showcase the best-in-class examples of creativity and innovation among public and private sector players. Conferred by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water Malaysia in cooperation with Malaysian Green Technology Company, the awards recognize the most innovative renewable energy leaders in Malaysia.
The award “reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team in Kulim to continuously reduce costs and our environmental impact across the entire solar value chain,” says First Solar Malaysia’s managing director P’ng Soo Hong. “First Solar has the smallest carbon footprint and the lowest manufacturing cost in the photovoltaic industry,” he claims.
First Solar Malaysia actively participates in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) via two National Key Economic Areas (NKEA); the Oil, Gas and Energy NKEA and the Electronics and Electrical NKEA. In line with the ETP’s vision, First Solar’s solar module cost-reduction roadmap aims to achieve cost-competitive parity with conventional fossil fuel and to build up the nation’s solar capacity.
The Greentech Awards have been introduced to acknowledge the best green technology leaders in Malaysia as well as to identify future green technology ideas and initiatives that can help to transform green business in Malaysia and worldwide.
