First Solar has inaugurated its new vertically integrated solar manufacturing plant, in Tamil Nadu, India. 

The facility has an annual expected capacity of 3.3 GW and produces the company’s Series 7 PV modules, developed at the company’s U.S. research and development centers and optimized for the India market. 

Representing an investment of approximately $700M, which includes $500M in previously announced DFC financing, the facility is First Solar’s sixth operational factory.

“The inauguration of this landmark manufacturing facility and the launch of commercial shipments to customers in India is a crucial milestone in our journey to long-term and sustainable growth,” says Mark Widmar, CEO, First Solar. “The speed with which we were able to build and commission this facility is a testament to the policies of India’s Federal and the Tamil Nadu state governments.”

The factory, located in an area of high baseline water stress, is designed to minimize its impact on local resources and instead relies on tertiary-treated reverse osmosis water from the city’s sewage treatment plant and have zero wastewater discharge. 

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