The Need
As the only U.S.-headquartered company among the world’s largest solar manufacturers, First Solar supplies photovoltaic solar technologies to utilities and commercial energy producers around the globe. The company needed to invest in the development of innovative technologies to reduce the cost of solar energy and remain competitive.
To advance its status as an industry leader, First Solar sought a location dedicated to full-scale research and development for its production manufacturing lines, as well as warehousing.
The Solution
First Solar opted to expand its already large footprint in Northwest Ohio, building a massive 1.3 million-square-foot R&D center that encompasses 1.3 million square feet in Wood County near the company’s other Perrysburg-area properties. The Jim Nolan Center for Solar Innovation produces full-sized prototypes of thin-film and tandem photovoltaic modules (a.k.a. solar panels). This capability is important because advancements in thin-film technology help make solar energy more affordable. The facility is believed to be the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
Key factors in choosing Ohio included:
Proximity to First Solar’s existing facilities in Northwest Ohio
Existing supply chain advantages in “The Glass Capital of the World”
Access to a skilled workforce
Ohio’s business-friendly taxes, including 0% state income tax
A convenient Midwest location that is a drivable distance to a majority of the U.S. and Canadian populations
Plentiful natural resources in Ohio, within a region that experiences fewer natural disasters
The Results
Jobs Created: 180
Total Payroll: $16 million
Total Investment: $488 million
Economic Impact: Founded in 1999, First Solar has had a manufacturing presence in Northwest Ohio since it began commercial production at its original Perrysburg factory in 2002. The expansion reaffirms the area’s role as a high-tech manufacturing hub, which will continue to create higher-paying jobs and economic growth in the region.
Strategic Advantage: First Solar needed to build a site that allowed for the research and development of new and advanced photovoltaic solar energy solutions. This new technology will allow the company to maintain its current market share and meet future demand.
We expect that this crucial investment in R&D infrastructure will help maintain our nation’s strategic advantage in thin film, accelerating the cycles of innovation needed to ensure that the next disruptive, transformative solar technology will be American-made.
-Mark Widmar, First Solar CEO