First Solar, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, designs, manufactures, and supplies photovoltaic (PV) solar modules using Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) thin-film technology. It is the only US-headquartered company among the world's ten largest solar manufacturers, with manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Alabama, and Louisiana, as well as operations in India, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
The company's CdTe thin-film process is notable for its material efficiency: First Solar states its panels use 98% less semiconductor material than traditional crystalline silicon alternatives, and that its manufacturing line can convert a sheet of glass into a finished solar panel in approximately four hours. The company claims its technology delivers the lowest carbon footprint, lowest water usage, and fastest energy payback of any PV technology on the market.
First Solar is expanding its production footprint significantly, with global annual nameplate manufacturing capacity expected to exceed 21 GW by 2026. The company operates a fully integrated PV manufacturing process and tracks sustainability metrics - including carbon footprint, water usage, and energy payback - as core performance indicators alongside output and efficiency.