Thin-film solar photovoltaic cells can be flexibly used in a variety of occasions
The largest solar panel manufacturer in the United States today announced that it will invest approximately US$270 million to build a dedicated thin-film photovoltaic R&D innovation center. The new plant will be located in Perrysburg, Ohio and is expected to become the first U.S. large-scale thin-film solar photovoltaic cell manufacturer.
First Solar's new R&D center will be close to its existing Perrysburg manufacturing plant, covering an area of approximately 1.3 million square feet. It will have a pilot production line capable of producing full-size prototypes of thin films and tandem photovoltaic modules. The facility is expected to be completed in 2024.
First Solar is unique among the top 10 solar manufacturers in the world, the only company headquartered in the United States and the only manufacturer of thin film photovoltaic modules.
The Tempe, Arizona-based company has been investing continuously in the development of cadmium telluride since 1999, making semiconductor the world's second largest photovoltaic technology after crystalline silicon .
Cdmium telluride is very good at capturing sunlight and converting it into energy. Thin film photovoltaic cells are by far the cheapest type of solar panels, and they are easier to install than single crystal or polycrystalline batteries. According to the American Solar Energy Association, they have the shortest life span, ranging from 10 to 20 years, but their payback period is also the fastest.
In August, First Solar announced that it would invest up to $1.2 billion to increase the production of solar panels made in the United States. The announcement comes after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which inspires domestic clean energy manufacturing.
