23 July 2009

Vive la France: First Solar to build largest solar plant in France

EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF EN) and First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) today announced a venture to build France’s largest solar panel manufacturing plant. With an initial annual capacity of more than 100MWp, the plant will produce solar panels made with First Solar’s advanced, thin-film photovoltaic technology.

According to a press release today, First Solar will build and operate the plant in France, representing an expected investment of more than €90 million. The initial annualized capacity of the plant is expected to exceed 100MWp, according to FSLR, making it the largest manufacturing facility for solar panels in France.

EDF Energies Nouvelles has agreed to finance half of the capital expense and plant start-up costs and will benefit from the plant’s entire output for the first 10 years. First Solar and EDF EN intend to announce their decision on the site location within the next few months.

First Solar’s manufacturing site will also include a facility for recycling solar panels, France’s first such facility and Europe’s only solar panel recycling plant outside of Germany.

For more information see: First Solar

(Disclosure: Long FSLR)



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