Thin Film Solar Panels
From First Solar Inc

This doubles their current total output of 500MW, which has already made them the largest manufacturer of thin film panels in the world. They currently produce panels in Ohio, Germany and Malaysia. This growth has been bolstered through incentives and tax credits from the United States and German governments.

This expansion of their operations has allowed First Solar to produce solar panels that generate electricity at less than the $1 per Watt mark. This cost is comparable to the cost of coal based electricity and is an exciting step forward for the company and green technology in general.

Where Can I Buy Them?

Unfortunately First Solar modules are not available to the general public. This is a shame, as the low cost would surely create a lot of interest among people wanting to green up their lifestyles.

The company has a massive backlog of orders for industrial scale power plants. They are bought up for the next 6 billion dollars worth of panels, so don't hold your breath waiting for these to hit shops near you.

Recycling Old Panels

According to the company, "First Solar set the benchmark for environmentally responsible product life cycle management by introducing the industry's first comprehensive collection and recycling program for solar modules".

This is very important as the use of solar grows over the next couple of decades and some of the panels now being installed start to reach the end of their lives.

This is a priority that needs to be incorporated to company operations now, not in the future. When there are hundreds of millions of these panels all around the world, recycling will be a major issue.

Company Operations

Have a look at this video showing their manufacturing and some of the company's installations:

The company website has more pictures and information about their operations.

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