# First Solar

> First Solar manufactures cadmium telluride thin-film photovoltaic modules for utility-scale and other large solar projects. Its integrated factories, long-term supply agreements and in-house recycling capabilities distinguish it from the conventional crystalline silicon supply chain.

- **Founded:** 1999
- **Headquarters:** Phoenix, United States
- **Founders:** Harold McMaster (Founder of predecessor Solar Cells, Inc. (1990)), Michael Ahearn (Co-founder and first CEO of First Solar), John Walton (Co-founder of True North Partners, the investor that formed First Solar with Solar Cells, Inc. in 1999)
- **Products:** Series 7 TR1, Series 7 FT1, Series 6 family, Module recycling, Post-sales technical support
- **Notable:** Built a commercial CdTe thin-film manufacturing platform with factories in the United States, India, Malaysia and Vietnam., Reported approximately $5.2 billion in 2025 net sales., Inaugurated a $1.1 billion Louisiana facility in November 2025, designed for 3.5 GW annual nameplate capacity at full ramp.

## Products & services

- **Series 7 TR1** — CdTe thin-film module using a large form factor and steel backrail for utility-scale installation; current product materials list 525-550 W and up to 19.7% efficiency.
- **Series 7 FT1** — Series 7 thin-film module variant documented in a November 2025 datasheet.
- **Series 6 family** — CdTe modules including Series 6 Plus, bifacial and V2 variants; technical documentation supports project design and operation.
- **Module recycling** — In-house recovery of glass and semiconductor materials from processed modules; collection and commercial terms must be arranged.
- **Post-sales technical support** — Technical documents, project support and warranty resources for module customers.

## Achievements

- Built a commercial CdTe thin-film manufacturing platform with factories in the United States, India, Malaysia and Vietnam.
- Reported approximately $5.2 billion in 2025 net sales.
- Inaugurated a $1.1 billion Louisiana facility in November 2025, designed for 3.5 GW annual nameplate capacity at full ramp.
- Reported 45.1 GW of contracted backlog as of June 30, 2026.
- Operates in-house module recycling capabilities.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Investor news listing announces an October 1 patent infringement lawsuit against JA Solar and American Panel Solutions; allegations are not adjudicated findings.
- **2026-10** — Third-quarter 2026 results scheduled for October 29, after this profile’s October 22 research date.
- **2026-07** — Second-quarter net sales of approximately $1.06 billion; contracted backlog of 45.1 GW as of June 30; 2026 guidance reaffirmed.
- **2026-02** — Reported approximately $5.2 billion in 2025 net sales and 2026 sales guidance of $4.9 billion to $5.2 billion.
- **2025-11** — Inaugurated the $1.1 billion Louisiana manufacturing facility.

## Links

- Website: https://www.firstsolar.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/first-solar
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/FirstSolar
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/firstsolar
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/FSLRCareers/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/first-solar
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-22