Silicon Ranch going Domestic via 5.5-GW PV Module supply deal with First Solar

Arizona-based First Solar has announced that it will supply an additional 1.5 GW of Series 6 Plus thin-film solar modules to independent power producer Silicon Ranch.

The deal expands upon the 4 GW master supply agreement between the two companies announced in April 2022 and a 700 MW commitment announced in October 2022.

While the previous agreements are expected to supply Silicon Ranch projects through 2025, the latest contract will provide solar modules for the company’s projects in 2026 and 2027.

According to Silicon Ranch, the expanded partnership with First Solar will allow it to continue sourcing American solar technology from a company with manufacturing facilities across the country.

Last month, Silicon Ranch announced it had secured a total of nearly $1 billion in equity funding through this year. Investors include Manulife Investment Management, TD Asset Management and Mountain Group Partners.

The money is key as the project pipeline also has grown quickly for Silicon Ranch. Last month, Facebook owner Meta Platforms announced it was signing a supply deal for seven new Silicon Ranch-developed and owned solar farms totaling 720 MW to supply operational energy use in Georgia and Tennessee.

First Solar recently announced plans to construct its fourth U.S. photovoltaic solar module manufacturing facility in Alabama to strengthen the domestic solar supply chain in the southeastern part of the country.

“Through this thoughtful collaboration, we have gained not only the tools we need to best serve the communities where we locate our solar projects, but also the opportunity to further strengthen the domestic solar supply chain and to bring more manufacturing jobs to the U.S,” said Reagan Farr, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Silicon Ranch.

Silicon Ranch is a Nashville, Tennessee-based provider of customized renewable energy, carbon, and battery storage solutions. It currently owns, operates, and maintains more than 150 solar-generating facilities in 15 states across the U.S.