First Solar to supply advanced thin film PV panels to Solarvest

21 Jul 2022

First Solar Inc will supply 93 megawatts (MW) of advanced thin film photovoltaic (PV) solar panels to Solarvest Holdings Bhd, with deliveries taking place between this month and October .

In a joint statement yesterday, First Solar said the modules will power four projects being built as part of Malaysia’s large-scale solar programme, as they will use First Solar Series 6 modules for projects in Selangor, Perak and Kedah.

“Approximately 75MW of the total order is expected to be sourced from First Solar’s manufacturing facility in Kulim, Kedah,” the statement said.

Solarvest executive director and group CEO Davis Chong said the use of these advanced solar panels will accentuate the advantage the company’s engineering solutions bring in terms of maximising energy yields.

“We are thrilled to be using First Solar’s thin film technology, including solar panels made in Penang, to power our projects in Malaysia. This combination will no doubt enhance the competitiveness of our projects.”

Especially given the uncertainties in the global supply chain, Chong said, this is also part of Solarvest’s strategy to mitigate concentration risk in relation to the company’s procurement practices, in which the sourcing diversification promotes greater stability for them as they continue to scale up.

First Solar vice-president of global business development Adam Smith said the deal represents their commitment to deploying high-performance and eco-efficient module technology in Malaysia.

“First Solar has a longstanding presence in Malaysia and we are proud that our module technology will play a role in helping the country meet its clean energy goals,” he said.

Solarvest, which was founded in 2012, pioneered grid-connected solar installations in Malaysia and has deployed around 400MW across the country.

First Solar was established in 2007 and it operates a 3.3-gigawatt manufacturing plant in Penang.

Source: Bernama